HC Deb 28 March 1904 vol 132 c838
MR. LOUGH

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he will state in what terms, and by what document, the concurrence of the Chinese Government was expressed with reference to the British advance into Tibetan I territory; whether orders have been given to Colonel Younghusband for a I further advance; and what are the instructions in case such advance is I resisted by the Tibetans.

MR. BRODRICK

In their letter to Mr. Townley, of the 13th July last, the Chinese Government accepted Khambajong in Tibet as the meeting place of the | Commission. Further, in his note of the 22nd December, the Chinese Minister suggested Yatung, also in Tibet, as the meeting place. For the reasons stated in Lord Lansdowne's Note to the Chinese Minister, of the 23rd November, His Majesty's Government have been unable to consent to stop the further advance of the Mission into Tibet. Orders have been given for the Mission to advance to Gyangtse. Colonel Younghusband has been instructed to resort to force only in the event of his advance being forcibly resisted, or his communications endangered.