tans--not only in actual
fighting, but in diplomacy as well. I had deliberately risked my life
in order to effect a settlement by persuasion and without resort to
arms. Officers and men at my request had done the same.
Subsequently we had both attacked and been attacked. Five hundred
of us had for two months to face the attacks of eight thousand
Tibetans. Later, again, we had had a long, tough, diplomatic contest
with the Tibetans.

Besides battling with the elements and with the Tibetans, I had also
had to battle with my own people--as is always and inevitably the
case on such occasions. Military and political considerations had to
contend against each other. This local question between India and
Tibet was part of the general international question of the relations
of European nations, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, America, with
China, for Tibet was under the suzerainty of China. Local
considerations had therefore to contend with international
considerations. Then from the local point of view the permanent
settlement of this particular question was desirable, whereas those
responsible for the international situation would not object to a
temporary arrangement of this single question as long as the whole
general situation could be favourably secured. The Tibetan question
was part of the whole question of our relations with Russia. Our
relations with Russia were connected with our relations with France.
We were coming to an arrangement with France as regards Egypt
and Morocco. If we did anything in Tibet which vexed Russia she
might be troublesome as regards Egypt, and make it difficult to
come to an arrangement with France and to bring off the
Anglo-French Entente. Of all these international considerations I was kept
aware by Government even in the heart of Tibet. But my position
required that I should stand up for the political as against the
military, the local as against the international, and the permanent
settlement as against the temporary arrangement. It was my duty
vigorously to battle for this--as it was equally the duty of the
military and those responsible for international affairs to battle for
their own point of view. And of course I had to submit, after
contesting my standpoint, to the decision of those in authority;
though I had to contend for the particular, it was the general which
had to prevail.

In the end a settlement was reached, and in this remote city we had
received congratulations from ma