352 A TIBETAN EPISODE. 



prominence. Russia had arrived, and when the curtain 

 rang up on the Tibetan drama of 1900 it was to dis- 

 play Russia figuring only too prominently upon the 

 boards. From this time on it became not merely a 

 question of settling trade disputes with an obstructive 

 and ignorant people, but of preventing hostile agencies 

 from taking root beneath the walls of our Indian 

 frontier.^ 



Russia's first card was the reception by Russia's Tsar 

 of a mission from Tibet, and Russia's second card was 

 of a like nature. The first mission, consisting of a 

 Russian huriat, Aharamba-Agvan-Dorgieff, who had 

 ingratiated himself with the authorities at Lhassa, and 

 secured the title of first Tsanit Hamba to the Dalai- 

 Lama of Tibet, was received by the Tsar in October 

 1900. The second mission, granted an imperial audi- 

 ence in July 1901, was a much more imposing affair, 

 consisting of a number of Tibetan officials, described 

 as envoys extraordinary of the Dalai-Lama of Tibet. 

 It may be said that under ordinary circumstances there 

 was nothing particularly disquieting in such an event. 

 That may well be ; but the circumstances were by no 

 means ordinary. Tibet does not abut upon any Russian 

 territory, Lhassa is upwards of 1000 miles from any 

 Russian possession, while it is, on the other hand, 

 but a short distance from the Indian frontier, and, 

 as coterminous states, we have necessarily special in- 

 terests in the country ; and yet, while the Grand 

 Pontiff of Lhassa returns unopened an autograph letter 



1 See the Viceroy's speech on the Budget, already frequently referred to : 

 " This [the prevention of the expansion of hostile agencies on the Indian 

 border-lands] also is in part the explanation of our movement into Tibet ; 

 although the attitude of the Tibetan Government, its persistent disregard 

 of treaty obligations, and its contemptuous retort to our extreme patience, 

 would in any case have compelled a more active vindication of our 

 interests." 



