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Auction: 26025 - Tibet - The 'Bramley' Collection, Part II
Lot: 3032

Tibet
Pre Sikkim Expedition
1886 Macaulay Mission
1886 (19 Apr.) envelope from Darjeeling addressed to Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor at the British Legation in Peking, China bearing India ½a. (2) and 1a. (2) cancelled by despatch c.d.s. The reverse with Bombay (23.4) and singapore to hong kong (14.5) c.d.s. Included in the lot the letter with very interesting content about the mission: My dear Mr. O' Conor, At least I am delighted to say the mission has been sanctioned its fate. Paul, who is to be 2nd in command, tells me has been hanging by a thread for the last two months. The difficulties were (1) the expense + (2) The Viceroy's fear of injuring his reputation for discretion by sending a mission, the reception of which is to say the least doubtful. Macaulay's proposal as to the scale on which it should be organised have been considerably reduced. The presentes are to cost one lac not 2½ lacs and the escort is to consist of about 60 instead of 100 men... A very rare survival of this proposed mission. Photo

notes:
The 1886 mission, commonly known as the Macaulay Mission, was a proposed British-Indian diplomatic expedition to Tibet intended to settle border disputes, establish trade relations, and define spheres of influence. The mission—led by Colman Macaulay—was canceled after Tibetan forces occupied Lingtu inside the Sikkim border, sparking the Sikkim expedition. (wikipedia)

One lac was equivalent of 100,000 Indian Rupees

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Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£350