An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

TIBET. 375reviving the trade, between Bengal and Tibet. For as security andprotection are the firstessential requisites to the establishment of commerce,so profit will prove its best encouragement ; it will most powerfullystimulate the industry of the merchant, who isengaged in soadvantageous an undertaking, and impel him to pursue his plans tothe greatest possible extent.To give full force to the license I have obtained, nothing but formis wanting; and, independently of the novelty of written treaties, formalitiesalmost unknown in Tibet, Ideclined soliciting the Regent toexecute such an agreement, because itcould be no longer valid, thanduring the minority of Teshoo Lama ; it must have been revocableby him, the moment he should be admitted into his office, and couldnever be considered as binding, even upon thegovernment which isupheld by his authority, and conducted under the sanction of hisname. For the Regent possesses no independent powers, but is theostensible instrument of administration, under the guidance of hissupreme, the Lama :and even supposing the Regent possessed of adequateauthority to enforce a treaty of commerce, yet to have pressedhim to the conclusion of one, I thought, would have been to abandonthe great object in view ; for I considered the agency of natives ofIndia, stationed at so remote a distance from control, or any checkto restrain their conduct, as a very dubious reliance, and that thebenefits resulting from it, would be found, at best, extremely precarious.These reasons suggested to me the expediency, of waving theattempt to secure, by written agreement, those privileges to merchants,for which the Regent pledged his word ; especially as the prospect of