File 5646/1918 'Persia and Mesopotamia: future telegraphic arrangements' [‎114v] (238/303)

I
10
The section of the line from the Rnsso-German frontier to just west of
Row no is now in the hands of the Germans, and the section between Rowno
and Tiflis is now being worked by tlm Russian Government, primarily for
militarv purposes, the Company’s stall assisting tlu.^ Russian lelegraph
Administration. The section of the line Tiflis-Teheran is worked entirely by
the Company. There is a considerable Russo-Persian and Indian traffic still
passing, as well as a certain amount of traffic between London and Petrograd,
diverted from the Alexandrowsk route when that loute is intei lupted.
When the Company’s communications were cut in Germany, the Directors
decided that it would be preferable to avoid that country when conditions become
normal, and this view met with the approval of the British Government.
After negotiation with the General Post Office, that Department agreed
to allow the Company to lay a cable or cables from Great Britain to connect
with the land line in Russia, the actual course the cable should take remaining
undetermined until after the war. Alternatively, tne General l ost Office would
place a cable or cable wires at the disposal of the Company for this purpose.
The best route for these cables, from the Company’s point of view,
would be via Denmark. This would necessitate two cables ; one connecting
Great Britain and Denmark, the other connecting Denmark and Russia, the
landing point m Russia being as far south as possible on the south-eastern
Baltic coast.
Owing to the collapse of the Government in Petrograd the negotiations
which were in progress for the renewal of the Company’s concession, together
with landing rights for a cable or cables, above referred to, were discon
tinued, there being no Russian officials possessing any sort of responsibility.
Affairs in Russia have gone from bad to worse, and there are now two
important factors that should be taken into consideration when determining
the route to be followed by the Company’s line of telegraphs.
The first of these considerations is the possibility of the disintegration of
Russia and the consequent splitting up of the country into smaller and
independent States, such as Poland, Ukraine, Caucasus; possibly also the
Armenian community south of the Caucasus will demand independence.
The second consideration is the likelihood of a disturbed state of affairs in
Russia for many years to come.
The effect of these two disturbing features upon the Company’s communi
cations is obvious. Were there to be disintegrations it would be extremely
difficult for the Company to negotiate several concessions for way leave, and
there would be little chance of our having a free hand with regard to
alterations in tariff.
The second consideration is more serious because, were Russian affairs to
continue in a disturbed state for a period of years, the Company’s line would
suffer audit would be impossible to look for efficient and continuous working.
The Directors, having seriously considered the altered conditions in
Europe, have turned their attention to the only alternative route, i.e., com
munication by cable via the Mediterranean.
There is one obvious objection to this : the laying of a cable parallel with
those owned by the Eastern Telegraph Company would nullify the advantages
of an alternative route as far as the eastern end of the Mediterranean. By
“ alternative ” is meant a route traversing a different line of country and not
subject to the same causes of interruption.
As a matter of fact, this war has proved the cables to be safer than the
overland continental line. They have the additional advantage of remaining
under British protection.
Assuming there is no insuperable objection to the laying of a cable via
the Mediterranean, it remains to find a means of connecting the cables by a
land line with Teheran.
Ihe reasons for a connection with Teheran are as follows :—
( 1 ) Ihere would thereby be provided an alternative route from the
landing point of the cable to Teheran and on to India by the
t ^ 1110 the Indo-European Telegraph Department,
w) ^ ere 110 connection of such a nature made with Teheran, the
telegraph system of the Indo-European Telegraph Department
would be left without through communication from Europe to
India.