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THE DALAI LAMA
INDIA AND TIBET
PREFACE
An apology is needed for the length of this book. Whenit was passing through the press, a Parliamentary Blue-bookappeared containing much important information as torecent developments, and what I had intended as only theaccount of our relations with Tibet up to the return of theMission of 1904 I thought with advantage might be extendedto include our relations to the present time. The wholeforms one connected narrative of the attempt, protractedover 137 years, to accomplish a single purpose—the establishmentof ordinary neighbourly intercourse with Tibet.The dramatic ending disclosed is that, when that purposehad at last been achieved, we forthwith abandoned theresult.
The reasons for this abandonment have been—firstly,the jealousy borne by two great Powers for one another;and, secondly, the love of isolation engrained in us islanders.I have suggested that our aim should be to replace jealousyby co-operation, and, instead of coiling up in frigid isolation,we should expand ourselves to make and keep friendships.
The means I have recommended are living personalitiesra