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
LORD hMORLEY'S VIEWS 405
and, secondly, the relations of the three States of Nepal,
Sikkim, and Bhutan, lying outside the administrative
border of British India, but under British control or pro-
tection, with the Government of India and with their
neighbour in Tibet. As to the first of these questions, it
seemed to be sufficient at this stage to take note of the
assurance of the Chinese Government that it would fulfil
all treaty obligations affecting Tibet, and to inform it
that His Majesty's Government would expect that pend-
ing negotiations and representations on the subjects of
tariff, Trade Agents, monopolies, tea trade, and so forth,
would not be prejudiced by delay or by any change of
administration. The second question was, however, one
of greater urgency and importance, because delay might
create mistrust in the States concerned, and even en-
courage China to raise claims which would hereafter lead
to trouble. It seemed to be advisable that a clear intima-
tion should at once be made to China that the British
Government could not allow any administrative changes
in Tibet to affect or prejudice the integrity of Nepal or
the rights of a State so closely allied to the Government of
India. Sikkim had long been under British protection.
By a recent Treaty the foreign affairs of Bhutan were
under the control of the British Government. The com-
munication, therefore, which it was proposed to make to
the Chinese Government relative to Nepal might well
cover the other two States on the borders of British India.
While, then, it was suggested that the Chinese Govern-
ment should be informed that the British Government
expected the Treaty obligations of Tibet and China in
respect to Tibet to be scrupulously maintained, and,
moreover, were prepared to protect the integrity and
rights of their allies, the States of Nepal, Sikkim, and
Bhutan, the Secretary of State for India proposed to
instruct the Viceroy to check any action on their part
which was not authorized by the Government of India.
Should China fail in performing her Treaty obligations
in Tibet after the receipt of the intimation, the breach of
agreement could form the subject of precise protest and
negotiation. But in the meantime it was undoubtedly
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