IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| India and Tibet : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
CHINA AND CHUMBI VALLEY 355
have been effectively opened for three years, as provided
in Article VI. ; and that in the meantime the Tibetans
should have faithfully complied with the terms of the
said Convention in all other respects. On December 23,
1907, the Chinese Government addressed a note to our
Minister, stating that as the final instalment was ready for
payment on January 1, 1908, we should withdraw on
the above date the British troops in temporary occupation
of the Chumbi Valley."
The Indian Government pointed out that the Chinese
ignored the condition that evacuation was contingent on the
Tibetans faithfully complying with the Treaty in every
respect. Instances tending to show that this condition,
and the condition that the trade-marts should be effectively
opened had not been fulfilled, had already been reported to
the Secretary of State. The fact that the Tibetan authorities
had recently failed to provide accommodation, except at
extortionate rent, for Indian traders supplied evidence of
this. The Tibetans also imposed unauthorized restrictions
on trade by accustomed routes across the northern frontier
of Sikkim, and on traders going from the United Provinces
to marts in Western Tibet. The fact that, in spite of the
maintenance of the telegraph service being provided for in
Article III. of the Peking Convention, there had been
serious recrudescence of interruptions to it since Mr.
Chang's visit to Tibet, further illustrated the attitude of
the Tibetans. There had also been obstruction to postal
communication with Gartok. It could not, then, be said
that marts had been effectively opened since Mr. Chang's
visit, whatever might have been the case before.
We should presumably have been entitled to claim,
under the letter of the Treaty, that, until the trade-marts
had been effectively opened for three years, and until the
terms of the Convention had in the meantime been com-
plied with in all other respects, the valley should be
retained by us. It was not the desire of the Government
of India to suggest rigid enforcement of the Convention
in this respect. They bore in mind, however, the decision
of His Majesty's Government that if, after commencement
* Blue-book, IV., p. 136.
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