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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [244v] (488/544)
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.
Sill CHARLES MARLING : There is a very small body of politicians in the
towns, particularly Tehran, but the mass of the population would be delighted to see
us ; the tribesmen, no.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : Because we should interfere with their trade ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING : Yes, with their brigandage.
MR. MONTAGU : You think that, if left to themselves, they would go to rot?
SIR CHARLES MARLING : Yes.
MR. MONTAGU: What exactly does that mean ? How far would they go
to rot ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING: There would be no kind of security anywhere.
The better governors would probably be removed very frequently before they had time
to do anything. There would be blackmail on all trade caravans. There is the absolute
negation of Government there. The Shah will be constantly changing governors, who
will consequently not be capable of doing anything. Such governors do not wish to
keep order.
LORD CURZON : Would not the result be a little more serious than universal
disorder ? Would not it mean in the first place, supposing that the British forces were
withdrawn from every quarter, that Bolshevism would invade the country from the
north, from Transcaspia, from the Caucasus, and elsewhere, and that, our military line
on the Hamadan and the Caspian route being withdrawn, Azerbaijan would at once be
re-invaded; the Turkish State, endeavouring to struggle into existence in that
direction, would immediately resume its propaganda in Persia, and Persia would be
overrun from the north-west ? The same as regards the south.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: Do you agree to all this, Sir Charles ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING: Not wholly. I do not think that Bolshevism will
come into Persia at all. I do not think that there is any feeling in favour of it.
LORD CURZON : That is not my proposition at all. The only means of
keeping it out is if there is some force holding the frontier. One of the reasons why
we have kept our forces in Meshed and Transcaspia is because just over the borders
there is a collection of the greatest scoundrels unhung in the world. We have the fear
that they would press across the border into Persia.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: You do not think that there is any chance (I am not
peisonally quite convinced that it would be a bad thing) of Bolshevism in Persia ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING: No. I do not think that the Bolshevik seed
would find any ground on which to grow.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: If it came in it would be simply a Russian invasion
calling itself Bolshevik ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING : Yes.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : I think that it is incredible that Bolshevism would
invade it. It would be a very complicated military proposition after all, even against
Persia, to send a great band.
LORD CURZON : To come into Khorassan from Askabad ? Fifty men could do
it any day. I do not think that the danger lies on that side. I think that the danger
lies really on the other side. I would like to hear Sir Charles Marling’s reply to the
question I raised. Supposing that we withdrew altogether our military position in the
North-West districts, what do you think would happen ?
SIR CHARLES MARLING : Chaos, and more or less peaceful anarchy. I do
not think that there would be any serious disturbances.
MR. MONTAGU : Leaving them to themselves has not been tried. Everything
else has been tried. This has not.
SIR CHARLES MARLING: There has of late always been a small number of
Russian troops in Kasvin ; but they have kept very much to themselves. They never
did anything in the way of keeping the peace, as far us I know.
MR. MONTAGU: Before our troops were there
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.
- Written in
- 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