'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎251v] (507/610)

456
lado-Buropean
Telegraph
Company.
Government constructed a *line from the Turkish frontier
near Baghdad, where it joined a Turkish line, via Kirmanshah,
Hamadan, Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz to Bushire, where it met
a submarine cable running Eastwards laid in the same year.
In 1863 also a non-British line from Tehran to Tabriz was
continued to Julfa. An alternative route was thus afforded
as far as Tehran and for some years telegrams between Europe
and India were transmitted via Constantinople, Baghdad to
Tehran, or via Russia, Tiflis, Tabriz to Tehran, and thence to
Bushire.
In 1870 Messrs. Siemens of Berlin opened a two wirehne on
iron posts through Germany and Russia to Julfa and Tehran.
Owing to the improved through communication established by
this line, the British Government no longer required the Bagh-
dad-Tehran section of their line and *ceded it to the Persian
Government, and forwarded on the messages received at Tehran
via Julfa by their line to Bushire.]
Messrs. Siemens sold their line to the Indo-jEuropean Tele
graph Company, retaining until 1914 a German Director on the
board and a few shares.
The Company’s head offices are in London, and the Persian
section of their line is controlled by a superintendent in Tehran.
The Company maintained through communication by its
own cables and lines from Lowestoft to Emden and through
Germany and Russia to Julfa, whence it traversed Persian terri-
torry for 456 miles to Tehran.
In 1914 owing to the pressure of traffic a third line was
added through Europe and a fourth from Julfa, i.e., 3 wires for
international traffic, and 1 wire for the Persian Government.
Messrs Siemens had experienced difficulty in the maintenance
of the line through Azarbaijan owing to the depredation of the
Shahsavan tribes, but the Company overcame the difficulty
by the Compensation Arrangement with the Persian Govern
ment and by the use of extremely stout wire, which was difficult
to cut, and of strong iron standards.
The Company have a telegraph office at Tabriz and control
stations for the supervision and working of the lines at Mianeh,
Zinjaa and Kazvin, with telephones fitted for conversation
between adjacent stations.
*By the Anglo-Persian Telegraph Convention of 1872 the Indo-European
Telegraph Department have the right to resume the working of this line.
‘ See above, page 455.
* In 1918-20 these stations were opened as offices for the convenience of the
British troops in the area.