"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٢‎٥] (١٧٨٢/٣٦٨)

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nothing* of the plain warning held out to Russia^ formed an adequate
return for the bloody and expensive campaign of 1838-42.
To return to Persia ; the withdrawal of the Persian army from before
Herat did not end the tension between Britain and Persia. The British
Government had other specific grievances against the Government of the
Shah besides the Herat expedition; and, in the undefined state of relations
between the two countries^ fresh ones quickly came into existence, of
which two arose from events at Bushehr. It was not until late in 1839,
after the failure of a Persian Mission to Europe by which various Foreign
Offices besides that in London had been approached, that the Shah began
to manifest a conciliatory disposition; and it was only in 1841, that a full
and satisfactory settlement was arranged,—including the signature of a
Treaty of Commerce, which had until then been obstinately refused,—or
that the British Minister was able to return to Tehran, which he had
quitted. Kharag was evacuated early in 1842, a proposal for its purchase
by Britain having previously been negatived by Her Majesty ; s Govern
ment on the ground of the pretext which might be afforded to Russia for
corresponding action in the north.
As the prospect of success in her designs grew smaller, the hostile
attitude of Russia towards Britain in Persia and Afghanistan was relaxed.
In 1838 Russia renewed the pledge, given originally in 1834, to abstain
from aggression on Persia ; and later a Russian Minister professed that the
Tsar had counselled the Shah to submit to Britain's demands for a settle
ment. Nevertheless the Russian Government feigned to believe that the
Agha Khan's rebellion against the Shah in 1838-39 had been instigated
from Bombay, and that the British traveller Layard was responsible for the
revolt of a Bakhtiyari chief in 1840-41. The British disaster at Kabul at
the end of 1841 seemed to offer a good opportunity for the resumption by
Russia of a forward policy in Persia and Afghanistan; but the magnitude
of the British operations in Afghanistan had impressed her, as had also
their apparent failure, which she took as a lesson to herself; and she had,
besides, difficulties of her own in the Caucasus and with Khiva.
During the remainder of Muhammad Shah's reign Britain and Russia
actually co-operated with a view to the delimitation of the Perso-Turkish
frontier ; and at his death their representatives in Persia acted in harmony
in order to prevent a dispute over the succession.
Continued
friction and
ultimate
settlement
between
Britain and
Persia,
1838-41.
Diminished
opposition of
Russia to
Britain after
1838.
it
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