"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٩‎٦‎٣] (١٢٦٢/٤٨٠)

1963
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battalions of infantry, had preceded him ; Ghorian was taken by tlie
^ and on the 23rd November 1837 the siege of Herat was begun by
thf Persians. On the incidents of this famous, though in itself insigni*
ficant siege, which lasted for more than nine months, it is unnecessary to
dwell Suffice it to say that it failed largely in consequence of the
energy and determination of * Lieutenant E. Pottinger of the Bombay
Artillery, who was accidentally present in the town and who did not hesitate
himself with its defence; and that Muhammad Shah was
to close the campaign without having attained a single one of
the more important objects, such as the conquest of Herat or the pay
ment of tribute by its Government which he had set out to gain.
It is certain that the Eussian Minister at Tehran from first to last
actively encouraged the Shah in his designs on Herat. That his instruc
tions authorised him to do so was denied by the Eussian Government,
who afterwards recalled him; but the fact remains that a Persian
I expedition against Herat was well calculated to serve the interests of Eussia.
If it succeeded, Eussia would be entitled under the Treaty of Turkmanchai
to establish a Consul—in other words a political agent—at Herat, by
which means the prosecution of designs in the Indian border land would
be facilitated; if it failed of itself, Persia would be exhausted and dis
credited and so rendered more amenable to Eussian influence; if it were pre^
vented or frustrated through British intervention, hostility would be
created between Persia and Britain of which EuSsia would reap the advan
tage. It seems to be the case, moreover, that Count Simonich advanced
50,000 Tumans or about £25,000 to the Shah towards the expenses of
the campaign; that he promised, on condition of Herat being taken, that
the balance of the war indemnity still due by Persia to Eussia should be
remitted; and that he connived at the utilisation against Herat of a
regiment of Eussian deserters in the Persian service commanded by a
Colonel Samson.
The interests of Britain, on the contrary, were certain to be adversely
affected by a Persian attack on Herat. The benefit to Eussia from such an
attempt, whatever the issue, meant a corresponding loss to Britain of
lieutenant Eldred Pdttinger had no official mission to Herat. He had been
encouraged by his uncle Colonel (afterwards Sir H.) Pottinger, the British Resident in
j 11 j to undertake a private journey of exploration in Afghanistan, but he intended to
Pace the information obtained at the disposal of Government. (It will be remembered
a 0 ^ 011e l Pottinger was himself one of Malcolm's young officers; as such he and
a ptain Christie had travelled from India to Persia by land in disguise in 1809-10.)
^tenant E. Pottinger died in 1843 on a visit to Hongkong.
British and
Russian
interest
in the
Herat
expedition,
1837-1838.