Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎442v] (887/1814)

632
PEESIA
The writings of the late Sir W. P. Andrew, of Commander
Cameron, and others, and the evidence and report of the Select
Euphrates Committee appointed by Parliament to examine the
Vahey question in 1872, have familiarised the public with the
arguments in favour of a railway to India by the Euphrates or
Tigris valleys, and with the possible lines of country that might
be traversed. Starting on the Syrian seacoast, opposite Cyprus
either from Suedia (the ancient Seleucia) or Alexandretta (Iskam
derun), or Tyre, or Tripoli, or Ruad Island (Aradus)—all of which
maritime bases have been recommended by different experts the
railway would proceed in an easterly direction to the Euphrates
either on a northerly line via Aleppo, or on a southerly line via
Palmyra. The Euphrates reached, the railway would either follow
the right bank of that river to Busrah and ultimately to the port
of Crane or Koweit on the Persian Gulf—a total distance of
approximately 1,000 miles—or would cross the Euphrates, strike
eastwards to the Tigris, and descend the latter river, so as to bring
Baghdad within its scope—a bridge being again required at this
spot proceeding thence, as before, to Busrah or Koweit. Broadly
speaking, these were the main proposals placed before the Parlia
mentary Committee and discussed in the volumes referred to. The
minimum estimated cost of such a railroad, if constructed as a light
line upon a metre gauge, was 6 , 000 , 000 ^.; the maximum, if con
structed as a permanent highway upon the European 4 feet 8 | inch
gauge, or the Indian 5 feet 6 inch gauge, varied from 8,500,000/.
to 10,000,000/. At Busrah or at Koweit—more probably at the
latter, because of its excellence as a harbour—shipping would again
e resorted to, and would be continued either to Kurrachi, or, as
some proposed, to Cape -Task, whence a land line would conduct
along the Mekran coast to Kurrachi. Such, in outline, was the
erne for supplying a shorter and alternative land route to India
at recommended itself to so many authorities, was urged by such
a e a vocates, and excited so much popular attention in the
‘Seventies.’
vei that neither the attention which it then
e nor the voluminous literature to which it gave birth have-
Objections saved it from an almost complete extinction, might be
scheme discovered an inferential argument against this scheme.
Its superficial attractions, judiciously dressed up in a
gar of pati iotism, were such as to allure many minds; and I
felt, v
to b aYl g stud
.fess ^ 0 cios er st -
t0 both si c
■eitf
ha
T t it do
d that i u _
° f P '
ikef s a
that have -
pounds upon wl
led me t
The
which ^ P° lic J
he determined,
physical and economic.
t), e scheme of a Enpln jd
nH . Th. phj " 1
^..dintodima
W would be encountei
0 « that engineers mig
Here remains the fact t
suggested, there are rio
reaching Baghdad except
(or the most part, would
whilst upon the more
traverse what cannot be
desert. The temperatu:
torrid and trying durin
Meve that during half
consent to pack his so
y ojance across these te
cipated
us hig them in
at the end. Stil
y extension of the
aid f 1011 °^ a thousand
P^possesr
U;
|ect to
ssing,
lay e been
astonish
n °f e the almos
;; attitude of
‘^ion. ' C ° Ulltrytr
‘•Wi*;, a ^ 0
’ 0r a diviri