§ Mr. DILLON (Mayo, E.)To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can give any information as to the negotiations alleged to be in progress between the Governments of China and of India as to India's commercial relations with Tibet; whether the Government of India has it in contemplation to impose any system of commercial relations on the Government of Tibet; and, whether he can lay any Papers upon the Table giving information as to the commercial resources of Tibet.
(Answered by Secretary Lord George Hamilton.) The negotiations shortly to commence will deal with difficulties which have risen in the conduct of trade between India and Tibet under the regulations drawn up and signed by British and Chinese Commissioners in 1893 to give effect to the Convention of 1890 between Great Britain and China. The negotiations will also deal with grazing and other disputes on the northern frontier of Sikkim and Tibet, which were laid down in the Convention. This Convention and the regulations have been published as a Parliamentary Return [C. 7312] of session 1894. As to the commercial resources of Tibet, there are no Papers which I can lay on the Table of the House. The imports from Tibet into India during the last five years averaged £115,000 per annum. The chief article of import is wool. A certain amount of borax, musk, salt, and living animals is also imported.