'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎481] (540/714)

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INSTITUTIONS AND REFORMS
exclusive construction of canals, hmats, and irrigation works of
every description; the first refusal of a national bank, and of all
future enterprises connected with the introduction of roads, tele
graphs, mills, factories, workshops, and public works of every
description; and a farm of the entire customs of the empire for a
period of twenty-five years from March 1, 1874, upon payment to
the Shah of a stipulated sum for the first five years, and of an
additional sixty per cent, of the net revenue for the remaining
twenty. With respect to the other profits, twenty per cent, of
those accruing from railways, and fifteen per cent, of those derived
from all other sources, were reserved for the Persian Government.
Such was the amazing document that fell like a bombshell upon
Europe just before the Shah started upon his first foreig-n iournev
in 1873. 1 J ^
The subsequent history of this colossal but impossible under
taking is well known and may be briefly summarised. In the
its re- Shah s absence in liiurope, time and opportunity were
scission given fOT tlie mars}lalling in }lostile array of all tlie re _
actionary, or fanatical, or, as a Persian might say, patriotic forces
in the country. In England the Shah found that but a lukewarm
reception had been given to the scheme, the possible political
complications arising from which more than counterbalanced, in
the eyes of the British Government, and of public opinion in
general, the advantages which it conferred. But the coup de grace
to the project was in reality dealt at St. Petersburg. Naturally
indignant at a concession which handed over to her rival the
entire resources of which she had long contemplated, or at least
coveted, the future reversion, and firmly convinced (the conviction
was utterly devoid of foundation) that the British Government
was at the back of Baron de Beuter and had insidiously inspired
the whole scheme, Russia adopted an attitude of resentment
mingled with menace, that, in the absence of any reassuring
counterblast from Downing Street, effectually frightened the Shah,
and settled the fate of the too precocious bantling of Baron de
Renter. It did not much matter, in a country and with a govern
ment like Persia, what excuse was forthcoming to justify the
revocation that was decided upon; and when the Baron's caution
money was, after the Shah's return to Persia, rudely confiscated, on
the technical ground that the works had not been commenced
l 1 oi an abstract of the Keuter Concession, vide Appendix to Eawlinson 's work
VOL. I. I J *
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