§ SIR H. COTTON (Nottingham, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether the first instalment of the Tibetan indemnity due on January 1st has now been paid, and, if so, when and where; whether, if paid, the amount is Rs. 833,000 instead of Rs. 100,000 which is the instalment due under the Tibetan agreement of September 7th, 1904; whether this amount has been paid or is guaranteed by the Chinese Government; whether it is now proposed to receive payment of the indemnity in three annual instalments instead of twenty-five as was originally intended; and whether, the other conditions of the convention of September 7th having been duly complied with by the Tibetans, the British occupation of the Chumbi Valley will cease after the payment of three instalments of the indemnity.
§ MR. MORLEY(1) and (2) A first instalment of the Tibetan indemnity amounting to Rs. 8,33,333 was paid to the Accountant-General of Bengal at Calcutta by the Sechung Shape on May 29th. (3) It is understood that the money has been supplied to the Tibetan 696 Government by the Chinese Government. (4) His Majesty's Government have agreed to accept the indemnity in three instalments of Rs. 8,33,333 each. (5) It has always been the intention that the occupation of the Chumbi Valley should cease after three years, provided the instalments of the indemnity have been paid, and the other conditions of the convention complied with.
§ MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether, having regard to the circumstances under which that indemnity was obtained—in recompense for a raid we made—it would not be in accordance with the honour and glory of the Empire to return the indemnity?
§ [No Answer was returned.]