ABSTRACT
Francis Younghusband was new to negotiations on the Sikkim-Tibet frontier, but Curzon took especial pride in his selection. He had, Curzon told Hamilton, travelled widely in Central Asia and written a book about it. Younghusband further telegraphs that he finds the Tibetans very bumptious and confident, that they rely absolutely upon Russian support. Younghusband became the sole political head, White having been dropped out, and Brigadier-General Macdonald was appointed commander of the military escort, which eventually swelled to over 8,000 men. The only answer from India was to demonstrate that the Russian threat did justify some risks at the critical period, and such a demonstration Younghusband did his best to provide throughout his advance to Lhasa. The gains of the mission to Lhasa, whatever they might be, would have to be embodied in some sort of treaty between Younghusband and the Tibetans, preferably with Chinese adhesion.
