Between 1834 to 1840 Zorawar singh, the famous Dogra General of Jammu ( a Feudatory state of the kingdom of punjab under Ranjit Singh) conquered Ladakh and Baltistan. After a year, he followed up this success by occupying a large part of Western Tibet. This aggression caused a major crisis, which pulled in a number of big and small powers viz. China, Tibet, Lahore Durbar, Jammu, Ladakh, Bashahr, Nepal and British India. As trade and production was adversely affected, the crisis threatened to mangnify into a large scale war.

In these circumstances, the British authorities in India deputed J.D.Cunninghaam to the northern frontier in order to report on a potentially volatile in order to report on a potentially volatile situation, even as the First Opium War was in progress. Encamped in a remote village of Kinnaur, he sent detailed reports on the movement of armies, nature of warfare and diplomatic exchanges. He also made incisive observations on the changing patterns of long distance trade which sustained the societies of affected areas. He paid a particular attention to the most important item of this trade, shawl wool, which lay at the root of the imbroglio. His writings were characterized by diligence and objectivity.

The present volume provides the original text of cunningham's reports, along with a critical introduction and relevant annotation. An invaluable and authentic source of information for several historical dimensions of the first half of the nineteenth century, this book will be of immense interest to the students of British colonialism, princely states, commercial, networks, international relations, military history and defence studies

Contents
1.Introduction
2.Reports of J.d.Cunningham
3.Appendices
(A) Chinese Intervention in Tibet
(B) Companions of Zorawar singh
(C) Ladakhi and Tibetan Text of the Agreement
(D) Deposition of Two Deserters from Zorawar Singhas Army
(E) Spellings of Place Names

Includes bibliographical references (pages 262-264) and index.