"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٧‎٤] (١٧٨٢/٤١٧)

274
Persian affairs and relations, 1876-80,
The Persian throne remained stable, and order was generally maintained
throughout Persia, during this period. In 1878 the Shah again visited
Europe.
The political interests of Britain in Persia being closely bouod up with
her political interests in Afghanistan, it became an object of British
policy to acquire means of penetration into Persia from the southward, pre-
ferably through 'Arabistan and presumably with a view 7 to counteracting
Russia from a new r direction. In the opinion of bir 0. (then Lieutenint-
Colonel) St. John^ who held political charge at Q/mdahar as Resident in
Southern Afghanistan during 1880 81, the events of the Afghan War
had so increased British influence and prestige in Persia that the Persian
Government were at last convinced of Britain's being a safer ally than
Russia ; and the same authority held that the opening of " the Shushtar
route " and the construction of roads inland from Bushehr would, while
they increased the material prosperity of the south of Persia, tend to
produce stability in Anglo-Persian relations by enabling tht Biitish
Government to exert pressure on the Court of Tehran through the Peioinn
Gulf. The possibilities latent in the situation seem> have been perfectly
comprehended by Russia, who opposed the construction of Biiti»h railways
in the south of Persia with a tenacity equalled only by that of Biitain in
resisting Russian railway projects in the north.
Between 1877 and 1879 persevering efforts were made by the British
Government through tier Britannic Majesty's Legation at Tehran to secure
the opening of the Karun River to steam navigation ; but the attitude of the
Shah on this point was one of obstinate resistance, dictated it would seem
by a fear lest the growth of Muhammareh in value as a port should lead to
its seizure by Britain,—a consummation to which close relations between
the Shaikh of Muhammareh and the British representative at Basra ,
gether with mischievous articles in the European press, appeared in Hi.
Persian Majesty's eyes to lend probability. The question of roads v
at first allowed to slumber ; but schemes for a railway to conneot Arabistaa
with Central Persia were recommended to notice by the British dipl^ a ^ u
•epresentative in Persia with the same total absence of results as that
the opening of the Karun.
These unsuccessful negotiations, it may be observed, all toc'v P 14 '
before the exhibition by Britain of a bencvoleni attitude towards P^rs
in connection with the proposed partition of Afghanistan, Suhsequen