Men often complain of the tyranny of weakness, but we
do not know if the tyranny of ignorance is not sometimes worse. The Lamas who govern Tibet cannot believe that the Indian Government is stronger than they, and besides claiming the Indian half of Sikkim, which is not theirs, though the other half is, they have actually sent a force into Gurhwal, which they do not claim, in order to tax traders crossing the Niti Pass. Goorkhas have been sent to destroy the outposts, and the Lamas will doubtless send another force to punish us. We may yet have to send an expedition to Lhassa to establish peace, though it will not be done until every other means has failed. Nobody wants war in the clouds, where victory can bring nothing but the status quo. The whole business is an odd illustration of the advantages of intercommunication. The Tibetans would never think of us if we could keep out our goods ; but the Indian tea is creeping through the passes, and the Lamas, whose private luxuries come from their monopoly of Chinese tea, are ready to risk anything rather than suffer Assam or the Deyrah to undersell them in their own villages.
