ملف 3874/1908 "السكك الحديدية:- سكة الحديد العابرة لبلاد فارس" [و‎‎٨‎٥] (٥٣٦/١٧١)

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aspect of a trade producer. In an isolated and undeveloped country, such as
Persia, the introduction of a railway line cannot fail to have most important
and far-reaching effects on trade. It must inevitably, as has been the case in
every country in the world, lead to the development of agriculture and other
natural resources, ami nowhere perhaps do greater possibilities or room for
such development exist than in Persia. There are vast tracts of good land
everywhere lying unused and only needing the small capital necessarv for
reopening the old Karezes by which they used to be irrigated. Nearer India
it will pass close to the existing fertile tract of Seistan, whose wealth of
surplus products will at last find a market. This must automatically lead to
the rapid development of that rich country and further swell the volume of
local trade.
Next will follow in the natural course of events the exploration and develop
ment of the mineral resources of the country, which are known to exist but
which, through want of transport facilities, have hitherto not been considered
worth investigating.
Last but not least, the existing local products of Persia, such as ghee, hides
and grain, wool, &c., which either absence or cost of transport have made it
impossible or unprofitable to export, will become available for export and thus
will be removed what is now the principal impediment to Persian trade deve
lopment, i.e., the dearth of exports for the payment of imports.
These are great and solid advantages which will benefit British, Russian i
and Indian trade alike. They should go far to compensate, through increased
bulk, British and Indian trade for the more favoured position which the new
line will give to Russian trade in its competition with ours.
10. It will, however, be imperatively necessary, in order to prevent Russia
deriving more than its proper share of these and other trade advantages, to take
steps to ensure British and Indian trade obtaining an equal start 5 as regards
time. Unless strenuous steps are taken Russian trade will be able to make use
of the new line before we can do so, and it will be difficult for us to make up
for lost time. The line should therefore be commenced simultaneously from 1
both ends. /
Russia can commence the railway at her own door, whereas we have yet
to traverse a wide stretch of country to reach the Persian frontier. It is there
fore essential to extend our Indian Railway system to Persia by the shortest
and easiest route and to do so in the least possible time. The only route
which meets these requirements is that to Nushki.
Military and commercial reasons will ultimately necessitate a line from
Karachi, but it will be unwise to use that route in the first instance. Prom the
valuable railway reconnaissance made by Mr. Johns in 1903, it will be seen
that a line from Nushki to the Persian border, 360 miles in length, admits of
very easy and rapid construction. It is estimated that it could be built within
two years at a cost of *198 lakhs, whereas the line from Karachi (through
Kondi) to the same point on the Persian border would traverse a country
presenting very serious engineering difficulties ; it would be over 700 miles in
length, cost * 750 lakhs and take some 8 years to construct. The value of the
Karachi line to sea-borne British trade would moreover be greatly minimized
by the line from Bandar Abbas or other Gulf seaport northwards.
Not only therefore should the Nushki-Robat line be pushed forward with
the greatest possible speed, without waiting for the commencement of the
line from Baku, but work on the line from Bandar Abbas northwards, and
as far as possible, from the Indo-Persian border westwards, should be begun
simultaneously with the commencement of the Russian ends of the main Persian
line.
* These figures are only approximate and apply to a railway line of 62 lb. rails. They are valuable as indication
of relative cost, and it should be remembered that the cost of the Karachi line, from the nature of the country to be
traversed, is more likely to exceed the present rough estimate than the easy ushki line.
The 750 lakhs of the Karachi line are arrived at by taking Mr. Johns’ estimate of 668 lakhs for tho line Karachi
to Kondi and adding 82 lakhs for the portion onwards to the Persian border, at or near Robat, at the averae'a cost ner
mile of the Robat-N ushki estimate. * per
A. H. McMaho*.