IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
| |||||||||
|
| IIIF Color HighRes |
| India and Tibet : vol.1 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citation Information
JUSTIFICATION OF THE MISSION 93
1774. It was the invasion of Sikkim by the Tibetans
which made the necessity for the treaty of 1890. And it
was because the Tibetans repudiated that treaty, and
occupied territory inside the boundary therein laid down,
that we had to take measures to see it observed.
But even supposing they were aggressive, it may be
said that we ought to have treated the Tibetans with
leniency, gentleness, and consideration, because of their
ignorance. So we ought, and so we did. Warren
Hastings conceded the request of the Tashi Lama. And
though the Tibetans for a century have been free to come
down to India, with no restrictions on their trade or on
their travel, we for years never pressed for any ordinary
rights of trade and travel for our own subjects, whether
British or Indian. We allowed the Tibetans to come
down where, and when, and how they liked. For a
century we let the principle of heads they win, tails we
lose, continue. Even when we at last stirred, and thought
of sending Macaulay to Lhasa to make some less one-
sided arrangement, we gave up the idea when we saw that
the Tibetans raised objection. And even, again, when
the Chinese asked us to make a definite treaty with them
on behalf of the Tibetans, and guaranteed its observance
by them, and when the 'Tibetans broke it, and repudiated
it, and refused to meet our officers, we continued for ten
years showing them forbearance and patience. It was
only at last when the Tibetans, having broken the treaty,
having declined to have any communication with us, yet
sent Envoys to the Russians, that we took high action,
and despatched a mission with an escort into Tibet. If
we had shown no inclination to hold the Tibetans and
Chinese to their engagements, others might well think
that they also would not be held to theirs, and our
authority and influence would slacken in proportion as
this impression got abroad. No Government can conduct
the affairs of contiguous States if it allows a treaty to be
broken with impunity.
My personal view is that the local question would have
been better settled, and much subsequent international
complications would have been saved if, at an earlier stage
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright (C) 2003-2019 National Institute of Informatics and The Toyo Bunko. All Rights Reserved.