ملف ٥٦٤٦\١٩١٨ "بلاد فارس وبلاد الرافدين: ترتيبات التلغراف المستقبلية" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٦] (٣٠٣/٢٤٣)

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position, after consultation with the India Office, to formulate his considered
views. of Mr Butler’s letter and its enclosures have meanwhile been
serf to the India Office for their observations, and the original papers enclosed
Zlein are returned herewith as requested.
I am, txc.,
The Comptroller-General,
Department of Overseas trade.
Annex 10 Telegram from Sir P. Cox (Teheran), dated 12th December 1918.
(Repeated to India and Political, haghdad, by poet.')
No. 1049. p ,
In belief that question of post-war reorganisaDon oi telegraph communi
cations must necessarily come up for comprehensive consideration, I venture
to submit following observations as tegards this splieie .
(1) Disintegration ot Indo-European Company’s system across Europe has
sufficiently demonstrated vulnerability of this line and emphasised great
importance of establishing, if possible, an all British system between India
and England via Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia to Mediteiianean ports under
our control and thence by cable. In the latter connection Eastern Telegraph
Company will doubtless have to be squared.
(2) Re-establishment of Indo-European Company is presumably necessary,
both to obviate loss to Indo-European Telegraph Department and to prevent
any foreign company entering breach; price of such re-establishment will
involve fresh series of conventions with newly-formed States. Present con
stitution of company is semi-alien and unsatisfactory, and it is under the
protection of Russian Legation here, which is anomalous. Existing circum
stances afford ns a favourable opportunity for reconstructing company and
system on more national and satisfactory basis. His Majesty’s Government
will perhaps consider what would be the most opportune moment to assume
protection of company via Russia.
(3) Position of Indo-European Department, as independent Department
of one State, in territory of another is also an anomaly, but seems to be one
which we must jealously preserve in our own interests.
(4) His Majesty's Government are doubtless aware that during their
occupation of Khanikin-Enzeli line of communications military authorities
have found it necessary practically to rebuild or duplicate Persian line between
those points and take management into their own hands. In this connection
it would appear that by abrogation of Anglo-Russian Convention and subsidiary
agreements depending on it, including one regarding this line, we can resume
our rights under agreement between Persian Government and Indo-European
Company dated 16th June 1906, and Article 16 of Convention of 2nd December
/ $ *7 Even if w r e do not wish to take advantage of above instrument we
should, when occupation terminates, remind Persian Government of it and
warn them that it is important for us to have sufficient telegraph communi
cation between Baghdad and feheran and that we shall be obliged to take
advantage of our rights if they do not maintain line satisfactorily.
(5) Juncture would also seem convenient for carrying out any internal
extensions or improvements that our interests may seem to indicate ; Bunder-
Abbas-Niriz-Shiraz and Bunder Abbas-Lingah-Bushire-Mohammerah land
lines.
( 6 ) _ Ns regards wireless, Persian Government will doubtless guard their
rights jealously as it may be fruitful source of revenue, but w r e are very
favourably placed by our present military organisation to forestall any possible
it
hdad
„ x been
uonstiacted with necessary buildings and quarters. I understand that there
are also one or two low-power installations on stock with military authorities
which might bo utilised while w-e are m occupation. I do not quite know
how Indo-Euiopean Teiegraph Department will regard prospect of ivirelesc
but m any case services which we have rendered to Persia in telegraph matter
give us special claims to wireless concessions.
*9