'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎90r] (184/386)

CHAPTER XI.
Telegraphs.
In 1898 it was found that the submarine cables between Karachi, Task,
and Bushirc were in a decaying condition and the Direetor-m-Chief of the
Indo-European Telegraph Department suggested that, instead of replacing t.iem,
an overland telegraph line should be constructed from Persia to connect wi i
the Indian system either at Karachi or at Quetta. .
2 The Government of India on being consulted replied in January 1899,
that the cable to the Gulf Ports was a necessity and must be maintained, but
they considered that the advantage of an alternative and line through Kerman
on/ISnm to Karachi or Quetta would be indisputable and, at that time, were
inclined to favour the route from Regan via Ladis and the newly opened trade
mute to Ouetta rather than to Karachi which was later considered better. Mr.
Armstron "was sent to examine the route and submitted a report in the summer
of'1899 His opinion was against the Nusbki route to Ladis or Koh-i-Mahk Slab,
and Mr. Wood of the European Telegraph Department who simultaneously
examined some southern routes pronounced the country from Began or Pahra
^rSeemtary of U State f was informed ofThestS in'septenTw l^Tnd Hie
thro^i^VeK^Talh/'aml lTs Beif mt^Starrepire^tbat an
3. Meanwhil, tl» lenttn Oo.m».nt bri l,«n .ppmoW
Ifith August iy01 a Convention was signed at Tehran by feir A. liaidi g
and the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs, whereby it was agreed that, with
the view of securing uninterrupted communication between Europe and India,
a three-wire line of telograph^should^ be aiTd lerman, traversl
iug? 1 wherever possible, The^ine^was to^be^buiR
rental of four per cent, on t e \P , p , h i3 r itish Government to recoup
Government. i^The *ntioo o« iZ
wH't'iu'v ^we^slmuld'^sGike" eastward ""to'Quetta^ and endeavom' to^ubserveThe
l^if'The Governrnent'of^Indi^in'^OctobTr ioof ‘defer^rt pmssi^g" ^ny
available
Telcgraph^system^was^ii^^pu^ed* through^ [^^lon" MisS^and
towards Koh-i-Malik Siah, in connection Meshed to Nasratabad,
bv the further fact that the Persian Telegraph line irom Mesiieami
ducted an,l managed ly Russiim A S e ; icy^vasra,,idlyapp^ng .U detm^
tiou. The authorities of th ^;f “ r ^ , ;SC u P red ^southerly route
charge of the construction of the new hnc, stro g ^ which would enable them
through Bazman, Kohak, and L, s terminal station and which also had
to concentrate all the lines at the KaracM terminal si ,. d ^ •
other advantages from a departmental point of view , Sir A. HarcUn a o ana 3