Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎153v] (306/544)

Our Policy in
Persia:
(a.) Question of a
Financial Adviser
to the Persian
Government.
(6.) Persian Repre
sentation at the
Peace Conference.
from the scene of action to form a correct judgment in respect of
the continuance of Bicharakoff’s subsidy.
Mr. Keynes said that Bicharakoft had been paid up to the 15th
ultimo only.
Admiral Hope said that a telegram had just been received to
the effect that Bicharakoff, with six armed ships, was at Baku.
General Thwaites stated that our force at Baku consisted of three
battalions and a field battery.
Lord Robert Cecil said that it had been decided that morning
at the War Cabinet that we should send a division to Batum to hold
the Baku-Batum Railway. There was, of course, a danger that this
move might involve us in further extensive operations.
General Thwaites stated that the reason why it was desirable to
send a division up to the railway was that we should be able to open
up a much better line of communication than the Hamadau-Enzeli
line, and it would give us a better control of the Caspian. The
Divisional Commander would be instructed merely to hold the line,
and not to embark on extensive operations in that area.
Mr. Montagu asked whether the new line was an alternative, or
merely supplementary, to the Hamadan-Enzeli line.
General Thwaites said that it was an alternative line, to be used
as soon as the new line was established ; the Hamadan line in winter
was practically impassable. It was not, however, proposed to
evacuate Enzeli, and the construction of the Khanikin-Hamadan
Railway would not be abandoned.
(At this point Admiral Hope withdrew.)
2. The Committee had before them the following telegrams
which had passed between the Foreign Office and Sir P. Cox : E.C.-
2191, 2293, 2361, and 2395.
The Chairman thought that the Committee would desire to
express their strong approval of the line taken by the Foreign
Office. There could be no question, as His Majesty’s Government
were exclusively supplying the financial resources by which Persia
was being kept on her legs, that if a financial adviser were appointed
he should be a British subject.
The Committee had before them a number of telegrams which
had passed between the Foreign Office and Sir P. Cox (E.C.-2086,
2137, 2138, 2192, 2263, 2347, 2362, 2401), and a telegram from the
Vicerov, dated the 1st November, to the Secretary of State for India
(E.C.-2200).
The Chairman said that it was not quite certain from Sir P.
Cox’s telegrams what' was really at the back of the mind of the
Persian Government in wishing to be represented at the Peace
Conference. If it was merely a desire to satisfy their amour-propre,
this was an intelligible and harmless aspiration. He feared, how
ever, that it was more likely that they wished to raise at the
Conference the whole question of their independence, and especially
the question of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . There was a danger that they
would seek admission to the Conference under the regis of the
British Government, and on admission would discard this and
endeavour to play off the various Powers against each other.
Lord Robert Cecil said that his Department did not wish in
any way to encourage the Persians to come to the Conference. He
thought, however, that we could put them off by saying that it was
not for the British alone to decide whether or not they should be
admitted, as this was a matter which must be determined by the
Allies generally. We had, indeed, offered to assist Persian interests
at the Conference, but this had elicited no reply. Proceeding,
Lord Robert said that President Wilson apparently contemplated a
Conference of all neutrals, in view of a League of Nations s * he