Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎210r] (419/442)

Persia.
Persia.
686
[24 July 1912]
685
*Lord LAMINGTON : The danger was
over when they were sent.
*The Marquess of CREWE : The danger-
may have been over, but the fear of danger
certainly was not over. Far from it; and
we did not treat it as a matter of special
importance whether Cavalry or Infantry
were sent for that particular purpose. It
was most clearly and expressly laid down
that the Cavalry were sent as a Consular
guard and not as an escort for caravans.
Their position has remained that of a
Consular guard, and it will so remain until
they return to India. I can say without
hesitation that I shall be very glad when that
large Consular guard can be removed. 1
should be very glad myself if it could be
removed to-morrow. We shall certainly
return it to India—though it will have to
be replaced by some other force—as soon as
conditions permit. As the noble Lord
knows, there have been various complica
tions respecting the demand for compensa
tion in respect of the attack on Mr. Smart.
In the absence of any powerful Central
Government at Teheran, it is no easy matter
to secure that the individuals upon whom
we believe the responsibility for that
attack properly lies should be made
amenable, and the question of the reduction
or withdrawal of this particular force has
been complicated by that fact. But I can
assure the noble Lord that as soon as this
Cavalry regiment can be returned to India
the better we shall be pleased.
I was glad, however, to hear the noble
Lord speak with appreciation of the efforts
to create a gendarmerie under Swedish
officers. I believe that the formation of such
a force offers the best prospect which can
be put before us of restoring the safety of
the southern roads. I think I am right in
saying that the proposition is that a force of
1,500 men should be devoted to this pur
pose, and it is gratifying to have the testi
mony of the noble Lord that not only are
the Swedish officers keen and apt for their
work, which confirms the information that
we had received, but that also they in their
turn are well satisfied with the material
which they have to turn into these road
guards. But, as the noble Lord very well
knows, the formation of a gendarmerie of
this kind produces troubles and difficulties
of its own. The various tribes on the roads
are accustomed to supply what are termed
“ road guards,” who are paid for their
services by a form of blackmail upon passing
caravans, and the institution of a Govern
ment gendarmerie naturally interferes with
this particular source of profit. It will
therefore be necessary, as I am sure the
noble Lord will agree, to proceed carefully
in securing the adhesion of the various tribal
leaders to the plan if it is to work at all
successfully and without friction.
I think that the noble Lord was a little
sanguine, even possibly a little biased, in
laying stress, as he did, upon the peaceful
proclivities of the people, and in expressing
the belief that if they were only left alone
they would settle down, as I understood
him to believe, to order and to good govern
ment. I do not dispute for a moment that
the Persian character may deserve every
thing that has been said of it. But I cannot
help recalling that during all the most
troublous years of Irish government noble
Lords opposite and their friends heard with
deep impatience what used to be said by
those who desired to speak up for the
popular movements in Ireland and the
freedom of Ireland from crime, xsoble
Lords used to point out that that might be
all very well; that there might be fewer
burglaries and fewer crimes of ordinary
violence, but that upon the whole, owing to
agrarian agitation and crime, life could not
be regarded as safe over large districts.
Therefore while, as I say, not disputing
anything that the noble Lord may say of the
merits of the character of the Persian people,
who are a profoundly interesting people from
their history, yet at the same time it is,
perhaps, a little sanguine to believe that a
mere policy of non-interference would lead
to the establishment of a state of order and
facility of trade.
In one sense I am entirely in agreement
with the noble Lord so far as our sphere of
influence is concerned. I should do my
very utmost to the last possible moment to
avoid anything which could be described as
military occupation of any part of the
country or an attempt to restore general
order by British arms. I say this because no
man can possibly foresee the end of the road
along which you have to travel if you adopt
that policy. You have to deal with a proud
people, as I have just stated, proud from
their past history ; you have to deal with a
people who hold the most exclusive religious
faith in the world ; and you have to deal
I with a people in whom an anti-foreign senti-
! ment is very easily aroused. The noble
I Lord has himself said that the mere fact of