This fascinating article by D.B. Armstrong originally appeared in the British journal, “The Postage Stamp” (August 20, 1910). It is all the more fascinating, given that it is written in the dying days of the Imperial Chinese Empire. Such articles are difficult to find.

The gathering of war clouds upon this Eastern horizon has caused the eyes of the great newspaper reading public to be turned with some anxiety to this old-world mountain kingdom.

China, not content with having entered into armed occupation of her erstwhile suzerain and expelled the Dalai Lama, has been endeavouring to seduce the Himalayan States of Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan from their allegiance to the British Government, and their rulers have received a peremptory summons to place their countries under the protection of China. Having gained a firm footing on the Tibetan plateau, she is endeavouring to extend her boundaries into Indian territory, and the present attitude of the Chinese Viceroy in Lhassa (also Lhasa or Lasa) is distinctly menacing to British and Indian interests on the Himalayan frontier.

The fortress of Phari, in the Chumbi Valley, within four miles of the Bhutanese frontier commanding the trade route from Darjeeling to Lhassa has already been occupied by Chinese troops. The Chinese advance is greatly resented by the Maharajah of Nepal, who has made the necessary preparations for protecting the frontiers from Chinese inroads, and has furthermore received an assurance from the Indian Government that “if necessary the forces of India may be relied upon to protect the country from any invasion of the Chinese.”

The situation is grave in the extreme, and troops are being hurried to the frontier in anticipation of further developments. Meanwhile the safety of the British Agent at Gyantse with his escort of native troops gives rise to much uneasiness.

In the event of hostilities ensuing philatelic developments may be expected, for Indian troops in the field are almost invariably accompanied by military field post offices, by which special postmarks, if not actually special stamps, are employed.

Of the 1904 campaign in Tibet, when Colonel Younghusband’s force fought its way through the mountain vastnesses into the Forbidden City of Lhassa itself, we possess some interesting philatelic souvenirs.

The force had, as usual, its complement of field post offices, one of which, the base office, located at Chumbi, whilst the others accompanied the troops on their forward march.

Lhassa was entered on August 3rd, 1904, and the British expedition remained in occupation of that city until September 22nd, during which time the correspondence of the troops was dealt with by one of the field post offices employing a special obliterator inscribed with the name of the Forbidden City. When first brought into use the postmark contained an error of spelling in which the name was rendered as “Lahssa.” But this was subsequently corrected.

Contemporary Indian postage stamps were employed at this post office, and when bearing the special postmark in question form interesting mementos of an historic campaign.

The Indian stamps, which are to be found with these obliterations are the 3 pies grey, 3 pies carmine, and 1 rupee carmine and green, with the portrait of Queen Victoria, and the ½, 1, 2, 4 and 8 annas values of the King Edward VII series.

On account of the disturbed state of the country and the bad condition of the roads, the number of mails dispatched from Lhassa to the base office at Chumbi was necessarily limited, and such as were sent had to ravel under armed escort.

In connection with the use of Indian stamps by these field post offices, it is interesting to note that the soldiers’ letters are actually carried free of charge as specified in the regulations, but the stamps are affixed in the first instance in order to prevent any delay in their delivery, the value of stamps so used being recovered at the end of each month.

Since the opening of the trade route between India and Tibet postal agencies have been maintained by the Indian Government at Gyantse and Chumbi.

Formerly there was also one at Phari-jong, which, on its evacuation by India, was occupied by Chinese soldiery.

The Tibetans are said to possess a primitive postal system of their own, the stamps or franks employed being strikingly unconventional. Letters are handed in at the post office and the amount of postage prepaid in cash. The post office official then affixes a curious wax seal to the letter to denote that the charges have been paid, and the letter is forwarded to its destination.

This seal, which is impressed in red sealing wax consists of a diamond shaped frame enclosing a syllabic Chinese character, whilst outside the frame at the top appear three minute dots. Unpaid letters are not accepted for transmission by the Tibetan Post Office.

What postal arrangement exists under the Chinese occupation is not known, but writing in The Postage Stamp in October last, Mr. Cornelius Wrinkle announced that the Imperial Chinese Government are on the eve of establishing a postal service in Tibet, and maintaining most of the post houses on the three roads having a centre in the nominal Capital.

Probably this innovation has already been carried into effect, for the Chinese military forces employed in Lama Land are composed entirely of troops trained on modern lines by European officers, so that it reasonable to suppose that they will make use of up-to-date methods in administering the province.

As no special stamp issue has made its appearance, it would seem that ordinary Chinese stamps were being used.

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