2
troops across to his side of the Yang-tsze, Chung Tien and its powerful monasteries have remained quiet.
The Wei Hsi Sub-Prefect Li, whose extortions were the causa causans of all the trouble, has been dismissed. His successor, Mr. Jao, is, however, a notoriously corrupt and avaricious mandarin of the old type.
I am not accurately informed of the demands made on behalf of the French Mission, but they have taken the form of claims for a heavy money indemnity and for lands.
The question is being discussed between the ex-Prefect and Père Genestier, now senior missionary and a man of character and ambition. It would have been more to the general interests of the public, both Chinese and foreign, of Yünnan if the French had pressed for a radical change in the personnel of the Yunnan-fu Government; but no doubt from their own point of view the missionaries are right. The possession of a large capital of ready money will give them very great power in the country much the same sort of power, in fact, which the lamas formerly enjoyed. In a few years we may expect to see the French Mission thoroughly established on the Upper Salween, and very possibly also spreading west over to the Chiu River in the Upper Irrawaddy basin. Wherever the French fathers lead the Chinese Government is likely to follow. It may therefore be anticipated that one result of the present disorders will be that the influence of the French Mission on the Upper Salween and Mekong Rivers, and possibly in the Upper Irrawaddy, will be widely extended.
I feel the strongest doubts as to whether the Government of Yunnan has either the capacity, the honesty, or the men necessary to permanently establish an effective Chinese Administration in these Thibetan districts. This could probably only be effected by destroying the lamaseries and confiscating their lands (a course which I believe the ex-Prefect advocates but the Yünnan Government does not approve) and by introducing Chinese peasant colonists. Just and firm government, of which Yünnan mandarins are wholly incapable, would have to follow.
I think it is more probable that the Chinese officials and troops in the district will soon return to their customary "squeezing" and opium-smoking, that the lamas who have now fled to Thibet will reappear, and that within a generation the power of the Chinese Government in these districts will be at as low an ebb as it was before the present disturbances galvanized them into temporary vigour and activity.
For the present, no doubt, the terror of the severe punishment which the lamas have received will spread as far as Lhassa and greatly increase Chinese influence and prestige at that capital. Regardless of their boasted sanctity and of their political pretensions, the Chinese have slaughtered the holy men wholesale, have pillaged their monasteries, and have sat down to occupy a large section of what is practically part of Thibet.
This sort of thing will, for the time, have a stronger, if less lasting, effect than the proceedings of Sir F. Younghusband's Mission. I would venture further to forecast that whatever influence the Chinese may acquire in Thibet proper will be used adversely to British trade and British interests.
I have, &c. (Signed) G. LITTON.
133
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies and is directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a further section of confidential correspondence, as marked in the margin.
Feb. 24-§23
Foreign Office,
March 16, 1906.
2
troops across to his side of the Yang-tsze, Chung Tien and its powerful monasteries have remained quiet.
The Wei Hsi Sub-Prefect Li, whose extortions were the causa causans of all the trouble, has been dismissed. His successor, Mr. Jao, is, however, a notoriously corrupt and avaricious mandarin of the old type.
I am not accurately informed of the demands made on behalf of the French Mission, but they have taken the form of claims for a heavy money indemnity and for lands.
The question is being discussed between the ex-Prefect and Père Genestier, now senior missionary and a man of character and ambition. It would have been more to the general interests of the public, both Chinese and foreign, of Yüunan if the French had pressed for a radical change in the personnel of the Yunnan-fu Govern- ment; but no doubt from their own point of view the missionaries are right. The possession of a large capital of ready money will give them very great power in the country much the same sort of power, in fact, which the lamas formerly enjoyed. In a few years we may expect to see the French Mission thoroughly established on the Upper Salween, and very possibly also spreading west over to the Chiu River in the Upper Irrawaddy basin. Wherever the French fathers lead the Chinese Government is likely to follow. It may therefore be anticipated that one result of the present disorders will be that the influence of the French Mission on the Upper Salween and Mekong Rivers, and possibly in the Upper Irrawaddy, will be widely extended.
I feel the strongest doubts as to whether the Government of Yunnan has either the capacity, the honesty, or the men necessary to permanently establish an effective Chinese Administration in these Thibetan districts. This could probably only be effected by destroying the lamaseries and confiscating their lands (a course which I believe the ex-Prefect advocates but the Yünnan Government does not approve) and by introducing Chinese peasant colonists. Just and firm government, of which Yünuan mandarins arc wholly incapable, would have to follow.
I think it is more probable that the Chinese officials and troops in the district will soon return to their customary "squeezing" and opium-smoking, that the lamas who have now fled to Thibet will reappear, and that within a generation the power of the Chinese Government in these districts will be at as low an ebb as it was before the present disturbances galvanized them into temporary vigour and activity.
For the present, no doubt, the terror of the severe punishment which the lamas have received will spread as far as Lhassa and greatly increase Chinese influence and prestige at that capital. Regardless of their boasted sanctity and of their political pretensions, the Chinese have slaughtered the holy men wholesale, have pillaged their monasteries, and have sat down to occupy a large section of what is practically part of Thibet.
This sort of thing will, for the time, have a stronger, if less lasting, effect than the proceedings of Sir F. Younghusband's Mission. I would venture further to forecast that whatever influence the Chinese may acquire in Thibet proper will be used adversely to British trade and British interests.
I have, &c. (Signed) G. LITTON.
n
133
The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents
his compliments to the Under Secretary of State
for the bolonies
and is directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
to transmit, to be laid before the
State for Secretary of
the bolonies, « further section of confidential correspondence,
as marked in the margin.
28.1
Feb. 24-§23
Foreign Office,
March 16, roob.
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