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32
and his fear of the Ameer Dost Mahomed, to
establish themselves at Herat as his protectors, it
will immediately become the duty of the Govern
ment in this country to decide and direct what
measures shall be taken for the maintenance of the
independence of Herat, as an important element in
the defence of British India against the possible
machinations of Russia.”
The aggressive tendencies of Dost Mahomed
succeeded in rousing Persia in 1856 to a reassertion
of her old claims on Herat. The opportunity of
this was a favourable one, inasmuch’ as the British
Government was occupied with the Crimean War,
and Mr. Murray, British Minister at Teheran,
after repeated insults, which it is not necessary
to enlarge upon in this Note, had hauled down his
flag and left the capital.
So anxious was the Shah to possess Herat, that
he braved all consequences and sent a force openly
against the city. It fell to the Persian forces in
October 1856. * So seriously was this step viewed
the British Government that the Governor
General of India was authorized to declare war
against Persia.* This step was followed by the
despatch of an expedition under Sir James Out ram
into the Persian Gulf. The operations were suc
cessful ; the British troops occupied the island of
Karrack, defeated the Persian army at Khushab
(8th Pebruary 1857), and captured Mohammera
(26th March 1857). In the meantime, however, a
treaty had been concluded at Paris,f under which
the British forces were to withdraw from Persia,
and the Shah was compelled to relinquish once
more all claim to suzerainty in Herat and the
countries of Afghanistan, and to abstain from all
interference in their internal affairs.
Before leaving Herat, on the 27th July 1857,
the Persians installed as rnler Sultan Ahmed Khan,
a refugee nephew of the Ameer Dost Mahomed.
The question then arose as to the course which Her
Majesty’s Government should pursue in regard to
him. Her Majesty’s Minister at Teheran proposed
to recognize Sulta'n Ahmed as the de facto ruler,
and to^apprize him fully of the Persian engage
ment with regard to the independence of Herat;
but Mr. Murray was alarmed lest Sultan Ahmed,
while nominally acknowledged to be independent,
should be bribed by the Persian Government into
some degree of subserviency to that State.
The President of the Board of Control J did not
see in that circumstance any cause for alarm. The
Secretary of the Board, in answer to a reference
from the Foreign Office,§ wrote :—
“ We uphold the independence of Herat, not
because we should dread the strength of Persia,
even if Herat were added to her dominions, but
because we fear the claim which a mightier Power
might put forth as to the location of agents, if
Herat were considered as part of the Persian terri
tory, and because we believe that the machinations
* let November 1856.
t Treaty of Paris, Ath March 1857.
“ Article 6.
“ His Majesty the Shah of Persia agrees to
relinquish all claims to sovereignty over the
territory and city of Herat and the countries
of Afghanistan, and never to demand from
the 'Chiefs of Herat, or of the countries of
Afghanistan, any marks of obedience, such
as the coinage, or ‘ khootbeh/ or tribute.
“His Majesty further engages to abstain
hereafter from all interference with the
internal affairs of Afghanistan. His Majesty
promises to recognize the independence of
Herat and of the whole of Afghanistan, and
never to attempt to interfere with the inde
pendence of those States.
“ In case of differences arising between the
Government of Persia and the countries of
Herat and Afghanistan, the Persian Govern
ment engages to refer them for adjustment
to the friendly offices of the British Govern
ment, and not to take up arms unless those
friendly offices fail of effect.
“ The British Government, on their part,
engage at all times to exert their influence
with the States of Afghanistan to prevent
any cause of umbrage being given by them,
or by any of them, to the Persian Govern
ment ; and the British Government, when
appealed to by the Persian Government, in
the event of difficulties arising, will use their
best endeavours to compose such differences
in a manner just and honourable to Persia.
“ Article 7.
“In case of any violation of the Persian
frontier by any of the States referred to
above, the Persian Government shall have
the right, if due satisfaction is not given, to
undertake military operations for the re
pression and punishment of the aggressors ;
but it is distinctly understood and agreed to
that any military force of the Shah which
may cross the frontier for the above-men
tioned purpose shall retire within its own
territory as soon as its object is accomplished,
and that the exercise of the above-mentioned
right is not to be made a pretext for the
permanent occupation by Persia, or for the
annexation to the Persian dominions, of any
town or portion of the said States.”
J Mr. Vernon Smith.
§ 15th October 1857. Secret Corre
spondence, Vol. 49, p. 285 B.

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