'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎90v] (185/386)

Sykes rather advocated a northern route on political grounds. On S3rd Septem
ber 1903, Lord Curzon telegraphed to the Secretary of State that, after consider
ing the reports and views of various authorities, in the opinion of the Government
of India, political considerations must for the present prevail. Ilis Excellency,
therefore,recommended that the Indo-European Telegraph Department line should
be connected with Seistan. The main point was to prevent the Russians from
attempting to extend their line southwards, when they reached Nasratabad, and
the early commencement of a single-wire line from that place to a point near
Koh-i-Malik Siah was advised. On 19th October 1903, the Central Persian line
was opened as far as Kerman, and on 31st December had reached Bam, near which
point was the junction of two alternative routes across the desert, about which the
Government of India on 29th January 1901 gave their opinion that the line to
Saindak via Regan or Shargazand Ladis might be adopted, if the Nushki line could
be continued to Seistan, but otherwise they should press for the construction of
a line from Eahraj to Koh-i-Malik Siah via Nasratabad-Ispe, their main object
being to prevent the prolongation of the Meshed line, under Russian auspices, to
Ladis. In February it was settled that a temporary line should be run by this
route from Bam to Koh-i-Vlalik Siah, which was to be made permanent the
following winter, after the question of the best route had been further considered.
The single-wire line was joined up on the 9th Miy 1901, with the Indian line
(from Nushki) at Hurmak.
4, For technical departmental reasons, however, the line was not opened
throughout its length, before Lord Curzon left India, to international traffic,
but by arrangement, messages were transmitted to, and received from, our Consul
at Kerman.
5. In reporting the completion of the line to the Secretary of State and in
discussing the necessity for further telegraphic facilities, the Government of
India said—
* • * * * * «
Thero remains the question what, if 3<ny, alditional facilities in the way of interna
tional telegraphic communication through Persia are necessary. We are of opinion that, for
present purposes, our political interests on the northern section of the frontier are sufficiently
secuiel by the connection effected, via Ho bat between the ludo-European and Indian systems
of telegraphs, and that any fmlher improvements or extensions of the systems should be
undertaken mainly to improve the commercial capacity of the line, though we would
point out that, with the cables in the Gulf in proper working order, we are not convinced
of the absolute necessity of an additional international route to serve the existing traffic.
Before the Quetta-Robat-Tehran line can be regarded as a reliable route for international traffic,
it is necessary that there should be three wires throughout, i.e., two wires for international
traffic and one for local traffic. At present from Kashan to Bum there are three wires, but
from the latter place to Quetta there is only one wire, while from Kashan to Tehran the
Central Persian line possesses no wire, but has the use of a Persian section wire for only an
hour in each day. It is understood from the papers received with your Telegraph Department
Council Minute No. P. W.-873, dated the 7th June 1901, that this latter section is beino-
improved as contemplated by the convention.
. these circumstances, it might be sufficient to undertake the completion of a three-
wire hne by the Indo-European Telegraph Department from Tehran to the point of connection
with the Quetta-Kobat line which we should be prepared to convert into a two or three-wire line,
as may be necessary, on learning that similar action is being taken by the authorities of the
Central Persian hue.
We would, however, prefer an alternative which His Britannic Majesty’s Minister
at iehran has suggested, and that is to extend the line from Hurmak and Diwan Chah vicL
K ^\ k e ^ hp f r t0 K L ar ‘chi or to the Makran Coast near tiwettur, if information,
r ^ i ^ n ° 6 the Director-in-Chief, should point to any commercial necessity
IVWr * ^ * lternat,ve lme either by the route indicated or by any other which the Indo-European
egr. ph Department may prefer and can induce the Persian Government to accept. For
p' i ical purposes, a line passing all down the Persian frontier to the sea either at Gwettur or
fon C ° nn K C lt P ? n ^r would be preferable, but upon this question and on the
fond fp U n he K her °K u 0t addltnnal 'ofrrnational telegraph facilities are required, we are
content to abide by such demsmn as may commend itself to you in the light of the fuller
knowledge of the commercial requirements of the case which is available to you/’
lonwi/f WaS hy Secretai T of State in his reply, dated the 6th January
190a, that an additional through route between Persia and India was imperative to
deal efficiently with the increasing traffic with Europe; and he proposed the
consti notion of a two-wire line from Karachi via Las Bela to Panjgur, leaving