India and Tibet : vol.1 / Page 109 (Color Image)

0109	India and Tibet : vol.1

TIBETAN RELIANCE ON RUSSIA 83

Now that we were reasonably assured that Russia had no

intention of interfering in Tibet, why should we still have

thought it necessary to send a mission into the country ?

The answer is that we had not yet settled those questions

of trade and intercourse which had existed years before

the Russian factor intruded itself into the situation ;

besides which we had always the consideration that,

although it might be true enough that the Russians had

no mind to have any dealings with the Tibetans, yet the

Tibetans might still think they could rely on the Russians

in flouting us. The Germans had officially no intention

of interfering with the Boers, yet it was because Kruger

thought he could rely upon German support that he

went to war with England. He was much too astute an

old gentleman to have fought us if he had thought he

would have had to fight us by himself. So it was with

the Tibetans. The Russian Government might not have

the remotest intention of helping them in any possible

way, yet the Tibetans might, and did, think they could

count upon Russian support. The Dalai Lama's Envoy

Extraordinary had been very well received by the Czar

and by the Russian Chancellor and others. Doubtless,

he had collected some very handsome subscriptions and

received valuable presents. A little Oriental imagination

would soon expand these ordinary amenities into a promise

of thick-and-thin support against the English. We had

still this erroneous impression to reckon with.

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