Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎207r] (413/442)

673
Persia.
Persia.
674
[ 24 Ju:
ly 1912]
That was fortified by the Memorandum
presented by our Ambassador 'to the
Persian Government in September, 1907,
in which the Anglo-Russian Convention
was referred to as being “ based on a
guarantee of Persia’s independence and
integrity.” The Persian Revolution in the
following year was, no doubt, the outcome
chiefly of abhorrence of the cruel oppression
exercised by the then ruler of that country,
the ex-Shah Mohamed AH; but there is
reason to believe that the Persians were
getting very much alarmed at the growing
interference with their affairs by their two
great neighbours, and particularly in
respect of the Articles of the Anglo-Russian
Convention which they regarded as in
fringing their political independence.
We are always confronted with the
retort—it is made frequently in the House
of Commons and in that portion of the
Press which supports the foreign policy of
His Majesty’s Government—What would
have happened had the Convention not
been framed ? That is a hypothesis with
which it is impossible to deal. First of all,
it is quite possible, for the reason I have
given, that the Revolution would never
have taken place ; secondly, one does not
know what value Russia and Great Britain
placed upon their respective interests or
how far they were willing to press diplo
matically in defence of their respective
interests. I am quite willing to admit
that the Convention has secured harmony
between Great Britain and Russia at
present—I hope for ever—but I maintain
that that harmony would have been
perfectly consistent with also securing the
independence and integrity of Persia.
There was nothing incompatible in that.
But the present harmony has, I think,
been established by the sacrifice of the
real basis contained in the Preamble of the
Convention, and at the present time the
situation in Persia is pretty much the
same, in my opinion, as if no Convention
existed.
Look at the present situation. At the
present time from Tabriz in the West to
Meshed in the East, through that long
stretch of Northern Persia, it may be said
that Russian control is practically absolute.
Coming further south to the capital,
Teheran, I do not know of any other
authority exercised there at the present
time than that of Russia. I do not say it is
supreme, but I do not know of any other
(D 380)
authority or control there. I do not believe
that any important act is undertaken by the
i Persian Government at the present time
without the sanction or approval of the
Russian Government. The glove may be
Persian, but the hand inside the glove is
Russian. How far further south that
control may be exercised I do not profess
to say. One hears wonderful stories of
Russian influence spreading right away
throughout Southern Persia. Personally
I do not believe in all these stories or in the
machinations and intrigues that are imputed
I to Russia, but these stories are the necessary
j consequence where you have power exer
cised without responsibility. There is no
responsible power at the present time in
Persia. What is the result in Southern
Persia ? You have there a state of com
plete anarchy. The Central Government
is powerless to exercise any authority
throughout that vast area. The main
trunk route from Teheran to Isfahan all
last year and sometime previously was
constantly being looted. The mail horses
were stolen, and there was practically an
interruption of all trade ; and the only
solution found for that state of things was
for the Government to appoint the chief
brigand to be in command of a large
district, and since that time he has been
occupied in despoiling the district of which
he is in charge.
As regards our own position. A few
months ago from the Baluchistan frontier
in the East all along the south coast to
Persia, right away up the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and
up the west Persian frontier till one arrives
at Russian territory there was not a single
commercial route open except that which
is known as the Lynch road—a rough mule
track over a succession of high mountain
chains. That road was open two months
ago, but in May it was closed owing to the
coming down of a wild tribe, and I believe
j that route is closed at the present time.
Therefore you may say that right away
from Baluchistan up to the Russian
frontier there is no trade route available at
the present time. In consequence of this
our own prestige in Persia has suffered
considerably. The people know that as a
nation we do not desire to annex a single
acre of their territory. They have always
regarded us as their friends, but they
consider that we have been timid and
pusillanimous in not upholding their indi
vidual rights. The good will they have
hitherto entertained for us has suffered
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