File 3874/1908 'Railways:-Trans-Persian Railway.' [‎23v] (48/536)

to any stops they may he prepared to take in furthering the projected
hne, which has heen brought to our notice by our Itussian filends, in
deference to whose wishes we venture to appioach you m this
matter.
We are, &c.,
(For Baring Brothers and Co., Limited),
Cecil Baking, Director.
Annex 2.
M. Goukassow to Sir A. Nicolson.
(Received 18th July.)
3 and 4, Lime Street Square, London,
gj r 17th July 1911.
I beo’ to enclose herewith a memorandum on a trunk railway
through Persia which has been drawn up at your suggestion by the
members of the Russian committee at present in London deputed for
negotiations in England.
As my friends intend to leave London on Wednesday morning, they
request you to give them an appointment to-day or to-morrow, in order
to report to you on the progress of their work here.
I also request you on behalf of my friends to address all future
communications to'me, as the only representative of the Russian com
mittee living in London. All communications should be addressed to
the above address, or to 3, Whitehall Court, S.W. (telephone 3160
Victoria).
I beg to hand you
* Not printed.
herewith ten copies of “ Brief Notes on the
Preliminary Expenses for the Con
struction of a Trans-continental
Railway through Persia.
I remain, &c.,
Abh. Goukassow.
Annex 3.
M. Homiakoff to Sir A. Nicolson.
Sir, 17th July 1911.
The rapid development of civilisation in Central Asia and the
need of better communication with Europe has caused public opinion in
Russia to recognise clearly the necessity of constructing an overland
route through Persia to connect the existing railway systems of Europe
with those of the rich and densely populated regions of India and south
eastern Asia.
With this object in view a Russian committee has been formed in
Russia (1) to study the possibility of the construction of such a route ;
and (2). to ascertain the views of the Russian Government on the subject.
After a close investigation based on data including materials of the
Ministries concerned, the Russian committee have come to the con
clusion—
That the trunk line through Persia must be constructed by a single
international company, in which the Russian and English interests shall
predominate, and in which interests other than English or Russian may
or may not be admitted according to agreement with the British
Government and with the English Committee, which should later be
formed.
That it is an indispensable condition for the commercial success of
the railway, that the line through Persia should be as short and straight
as possible, in order to enable it to compete both with other existing