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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [208v] (416/544)
The record is made up of 1 file (272 folios). It was created in 13 Mar 1918-7 Jan 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
12
LORD ROBERT CECIL: You will want order in Persia, surely ?
LORD CURZON : I am entirely with you about Transcaspia. I am for getting
out as quickly as we can. We are deeply involved, but not beyond repair. This
resolution is limited to the Caspian, and the object of retaining naval control is, as
stated, twofold: first, to save influences, in the main Bolshevik, at any rate hostile,
from coming across the Caspian into Persia, and the same with regard to influences
in Transcaspia. I should have thought that that was not only a legitimate exercise
of power, but a necessary one also, in the circumstances.
ADMIRAL HOPE : I want to raise a question about the Caspian. According
to the telegrams we have received we have had an engagement with some Bolshevik
elements, and apparently they have got some torpedo boats and submarines at
Astrakhan which they have sent down the Volga. We are doing our best, and now
that we have got the railway from Batum to Baku we shall be able considerably to
strengthen the forces in the Caspian, if required. We are preparing coastal motor-
boats, with torpedoes, to be sent out, and we are proposing to send some bigger guns
for the ships. It will all cost money, and will probably require more men. The
question the Admiralty would like answered is whether tjiey are justified in going
on with these proposals.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: It is a difficult question. What would happen
supposing the Bolsheviks were in complete control of the Caspian?
ADMIRAL HOPE : They might bombard Baku.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : And cut off any connection with Krasnovodsk; but
perhaps that would not matter.
LORD CURZON: We have forces there at present.
ADMIRAL HOPE: They are all open from the sea.
MR. BALFOUR: And the oil supply goes up along the coast of the Caspian to
Russia. It is important to Russia, I think.
MR. MONTAGU : Why should not the oil go? Does it matter?
MR. BALFOUR : It is important it should go to our friends and not to our
enemies. That is all.
MR. MONTAGU: What is going to be the effect of sending these ships out and
reinforcements, and having a naval war on the Caspian ? What is to be the effect
politically there? How are we going to defend our action? For what object are
we fighting with the Bolsheviks on the Caspian now that we are considering Peace?
MR. BALFOUR : We are doing two things : protecting the oilfields, which is
an international interest, and protecting Persia, which is our interest, and Turkestan.
LORD CURZON: And also protecting Transcaspia, where we have forces,
pending the withdrawal of which we must remain at Krasnovodsk.
MR. MONTAGU : It may be necessary to protect them for a fortnight or more.
GENERAL MACDONOGH: Is not the object of keeping naval control of the
Caspian to prevent the Bolsheviks and Bolshevism getting control of Persia ?
LORD ROBERT CECIL: Yes, one of the important objects.
MR. BALFOUR: It is very important.
LORD CURZON : Speaking of the attitude of Persia, two days ago I had a
talk with an old friend of mine, the former Regent of Persia, who now lives in this
country, but was Regent up to some time before the war. Although he is not a
very strong man, he is very intelligent, and is in sympathy with British policy and
objects, and he came to talk to me about the attitude of Persia and of his friends who
are coming over to the Peace Conference. I had intended to postpone saying any
thing about it till we come to discuss Persia on a later day, but I will mention, as the
Caspian is now under discussion, that one of the main points the Persians are going
to put forward is that we shall, in order to give them a chance of standing by them
selves, maintain control of the Caspian. I need not develop his whole policy, but
certainly one of its pivots was the retention of British naval control of the Caspian.
If he is able to speak for his people, we shall not be doing anything unpalatable to
About this item
- Content
This file is composed of papers produced by the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee, which was chaired by George Curzon for most of its existence. The file contains a complete set of printed minutes, beginning with the committee's first meeting on 28 March 1918, and concluding with its final meeting on 7 January 1919 (ff 6-214 and ff 227-272).
The file begins with two copies of a memorandum by Curzon, dated 13 March 1918, proposing the formation of the Eastern Committee. This is followed by a memorandum by Arthur James Balfour, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, approving Curzon's proposal, and a copy of a procedure for the newly created committee, outlining arrangements for committee meetings and the dissemination of information to committee members.
Also included is a set of resolutions, passed by the committee in December 1918, in order to guide British representatives at the Paris Peace conference (ff 216-225). The resolutions cover the following: the Caucasus and Armenia; Syria; Palestine; Hejaz and Arabia; Mesopotamia, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. They are preceded by a handwritten note written by Curzon 'some years later', which remarks on how they are a 'rather remarkable forecast of the bulk of the results since obtained.'
- Extent and format
- 1 file (272 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 272; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/274
- Title
- Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee
- Pages
- 1r:214v, 216r:272v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence