'Travels from India to England : comprehending a visit to the Burman Empire, and a journey through Persia, Asia Minor, European Turkey, &c., in the years 1825-26, by James Edward Alexander' [‎289] (384/412)

APPENDIX. 289
not merely to keep up the communication with their magazines, but to over
awe their disaffected subjects in Georgia.
Upon the whole, it may be concluded that, although Persia may be com
pelled to submit to some further sacrifices, if the war continues, the conquest
of that empire by the Russians is perfectly chimerical, and the invasion of
India by them a mere bugbear.
That the interests of Britain are deeply concerned in the present contest
cannot be doubted. If Russia shall force the Shah to make peace, the extinc
tion of British influence at Tehran will doubtless be stipulated for, as well as
the dismissal of the British officers in the service of the Prince Royal, and
perhaps the substitution of Russian subjects,—a proposal for disciplining the
Persian army by Russian officers was made by General Yermoloff immediately
after the peace of Gulistan. In the mean time, the continuance of hostilities
imposes upon the British Government the- obligation of deciding whether the
contest was or was not caused by the aggression of Russia, since, in the former
case, we are bound by treaty with Persia to renew the subsidy of two hundred
thousand tomauns. If we decide that the casus foederis has not taken place,
we lose our ascendancy at the court of Tehran; and if we adopt a contrary
policy, and subsidize Persia against Russia, it seems impossible for us to main
tain that neutral system of measures, in respect to Persian politics, which has
been the result of a sort of understanding between our court and that of St.
Petersburgh; and it will perhaps be difficult for us to avoid embroiling ourselves
in a dispute with the latter.
The embarrassments of our situation are very obvious; but they might easily
have been foreseen at the period when the treaty of subsidy was concluded; it
may therefore be assumed they were, (as they ought to have been,) provided
against.