THE SIKKIM EXPEDITION OF 1888

INTRODUCTION.

The immediate cause of the Sikkim Expedition of 1888 was the despatch by the Thibetan authorities of an armed force of 300 men, across the Sikkim Frontier, to occupy a position at Lingtu which commanded the trade route between Darjeeling and Thibet. The circumstances, however, which had led up to the outrage, and the considerations which permitted the Government of India to sit quiet under it from September, 1886, till March, 1888, require further explanation ; they were in reality the outcome of our relations with Sikkim, and of our endeavour to open up trade with Thibet, through that country, Our first engagement with Sikkim dates from the conclusion of the Nepal war, when in 1817 we restored to Sikkim a great portion of the country wrested from it by the encroachments of Nepal during the previous forty years — and indeed added to it. This engagement distinctly affirmed the feudatory position of the Maharajah of Sikkim to the British Government.

Click here to read the full report prepared on this expedition by the Derbyshire Regiment  (clicking this link will download the text file to your computer)

The Lingtu expedition  was the cover story of the Illustrated London News on  Saturday, October 4th 1888

Some more drawings from the expedition in the same edition.