ملف رقم ٤٣٤٥ لسنة ١٩١٢ "السكة الحديدية العابرة لبلاد فارس" [و‎‎١‎٢] (٣٣٠/٢٨)

[This Document is the Property of His Britarmir, Majesty's Government.]
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PERSIA.
[February 27.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 2.
[9426]
No. 1.
Mr. Stuart (War Office) to Mr. Campbell.—(Received February 27.)
My dear Campbell, War Office, February 27, 1913.
REFERENCE your query of Tuesday afternoon last, “Is a railway line from
Khanikin to Ispahan feasible from the engineering point of view by alternative
alignments—(a) in the Russian sphere ; (b) in the neutral sphere ; and (c) partly in both
the Russian and neutral spheres.”
I can find nothing to show that the tract of country in question has ever been
examined with a view to railway construction between Khanikin neighbourhood and
Ispahan.
From the information available in the maps, military reports, and route books
which I have been able to consult, and in the absence of any report on the country
from the technical railway point of view, it is only possible to give a general opinion
on the points of reference for what it is worth.
The region in question is one of the most mountainous in Persia, and the
mountain ranges have a marked trend from north-west to south-east; any railway
from Khanikin to Ispahan must ascend the Persian plateau and more or less cut across
these ranges.
The region in the Russian sphere (north of line Kasr-i-Shirin-Ispahan) is better
populated, more fertile, and better watered than the neutral sphere region; the
physical difficulties to be encountered also seem to be less formidable.
Railway construction from Khanikin to Ispahan in either sphere would be a
difficult and costly undertaking, and maintenance of a line would be expensive. A
technical and more detailed examination would be necessary to say whether a railway
would be economically feasible under the conditions.
Subject to the above remarks, it would seem that probably a route feasible for a
railway could be found somewhat on the following general alignment, practically all in
the Russian sphere :—
Khanikin - Kasr-i-Shirin - Kermanshah - neighbourhood of Hamadan (perhaps
branching off east about Kangavar)-Sultanabad-Ispahan.
Such alignment has the advantage that from Kangavar on to Ispahan it conforms
to the natural trend of the mountain ranges ; snowfall in winter might be a difficulty
in certain places.
It appears that any alignment in the Russian sphere south of the above (e.g.,
south-east from Kermanshah) would encounter great physical difficulties.
No alignment partly in the Russian and partly in the neutral sphere seems
feasible.
In the neutral sphere, even taking a roundabout alignment to the south, I do not
think any alignment will be found that would be feasible except at^mmense cost.
To sum up, therefore—always subject to my introductory remarks—I think that
a feasible, though costly, route could be found within the Russian sphere, but that
probably no alignment, feasible without prohibitive cost, could be found in the neutral
sphere.
Yours sincerely,
A. G. STUART.
[2804 dd—2]