CO129-373 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 351

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

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Hitherto the Mishmis have upon them unless definite orders can be given to them. been under our influence, and a claim to be a British subject has been made by one of their chiefs.

General question of securing a buffer between Thibet and ourselves is still being considered by Lieutenant-Governor. But he holds that surrender to China of Mishmis, over whom our influence has been exercised, would in any case be unwise, and Le urges the advisability of not permitting a possibly hostile Power to thrust itself in upon us nearer than can be legitimately prevented, in view of our having the settled district of Lakhimpur to protect as well as the important station of Dibrugarh.

Views of local Government have our concurrence, and we solicit your authority, pending decision of general question of future policy, as to which we will submit as soon as possible our definite proposals, to inform the Mishmis that they are under our protection, and thai in refusing to have any intercourse or relations with any other Foreign Power than ourselves they will have our support.

Very early telegraphic orders are solicited.

C O 34588

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

RECO Rege 11 NOV TO

CONFIDENTIAL.

[October 25.]

SECTION 1.

[38841]

No. 1.

India Office to Foreign Office.--(Received October 25.)

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 to the Viceroy, dated the 20th October, relative to the Burmo-Chinese frontier.

India Office, October 24, 1910.

Enclosure in No. 1.

Viscount Morley to Government of India.

(Telegraphic.) P.

India Office, October 20, 1910. BURMA-CHINA frontier. See your telegram dated the 16th October. Com- munications are in progress between Foreign Office and Mr. Max Müller as to obtaining confirmation regarding intentions of Chinese from consuls. I will telegraph again when their views have been received. In the meantime, you are, 1 presume, satisfied that force proposed by you is sufficient to ensure objects of expedi- tion being accomplished, having regard to increased efficiency of Chinese troops under Japanese officers.

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