CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 350

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}

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AFFAIRS OF CHINA,

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CONFIDENTIAL.

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[38764]

REG 11 NOV 10

No. 1.

[October 24.]

SECTION 1.

India Office to Foreign Office~(Received October 24.)

THE Under-Secretary of State for India presents his compliments to the Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, by direction of Viscount Morley, forwards herewith, for the information of the Secretary of State, copy of a telegram from the Viceroy, dated the 23rd October, 1910, relative to the north-east frontier.

India Office, October 24, 1910.

Enclosure in No. 1,

Government of India to Viscount Morley.

October 23, 1910.

(Telegraphic.) P.

REFERENCE is invited to letter, dated the 26th May, from Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam, enclosed in letter of 14th July from Secretary to Govern- ment of India, Foreign Department. Anxiety is being caused locally in consequence of Chinese proceedings at Rima, and in vicinity of tribal tracts on north-cast frontier by question of our future relations with those tribes. Military authorities are of opinion, with reference to Chinese advance, that position at present is unsound strategically, and they consider that the approximate extent of our influence should be as follows:-

Starting from the cast of that portion of Thibetan territory of Tawang district, which runs down like a wedge to the frontier of British territory north of Odalguri, it should run north-east to longitude 94, latitude 29, and thence eastwards to longitude 96, along latitude 29. From longitude 96 it should run south-east to a point, as far east and as near Rima as possible, on the Zayul Chu, after which it should cross the valley of that river to the watershed between the Irawaddy and Zayul, which it should follow until that watershed joins the divide between the Salween and Irawaddy.

It is believed that the tribes in this area, some of whom are already under our influence, are for the most part independent.

The best policy to pursue would, we are inclined to think, be to extend the "outer line as far as may be necessary, by arranging that there shall be no relations or intercourse between tribes within or beyond line with any foreign Power other than ourselves, by which means we should secure a buffer. But more complete information than is available is required on the following points :---

1. Nature and extent of each tribe's territory.

2. The extent, if any, to which China or Thibet recognises [?] the tribes.

3. Whether it is possible, and if so at what probable cost, to execute agreements on the lines indicated.

Information as to how far we can collect required data or get into relation with the tribes concerned is being awaited from Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam before we address you on the whole question.

In the meantime, on the authority of certain Mishuis who have come into Sadiya, Lieutenant-Governor has reported that all trade between Miju Mishmis and Thibet has been prohibited by the Chinese. It is essential, in his Honour's opinion, that we should be in a position to inform the tribe, who, he states, will probably come into British territory before the close of the present month, to what extent we are prepared to give them recognition. These Mishmis are accustomed to regard us as the dominant Power on that frontier, and the political officer, Sadiya, considers that tribe will be estranged, and that Chinese may succeed in imposing their authority

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