'Report on the Preliminary Survey of The Route for The Central Persia Telegraph Line from Quetta to Bam and Pahra' [‎57r] (118/162)

Local requirements of the Nusuki trade route for telegraph
COMMUNICATION.
25. Captain Webb Ware advocates very strongly the extension of the
Quetta-Nushki telegraph system firstly to Dalbandin, and afterwards up to, and
beyond, the Persian Frontier to Kerman. I cannot find any direct mention in his
report as to whether such an extension would be likely to pay, or whether the
class of traders which travel over the Quetta-Siestan route require telegraph com
munication, or would be likely to use it, if established for them. A true answer
to these enquiries will, I think, be found to be in the negative.
There are at present two offices on the Quetta-Nushki telegraph system, one
at Panjpai, and one at Nushki. When passing through Nushki on my recent
tour, I had an opportunity of scrutinizing the traffic returns of the Telegraph
Office there. I found that from the time it was opened in May 1900 to the time
of my visit in December 1900 the revenue derived each month was, in no single
instance, sufficient to cover the office working expenses, exclusive of other ex
penses incurred on account of line maintenance. If then a telegraph office
at Nushki, which is, to use a grand expression, the metropolis of the trade route,
is found to be unprofitable, it is not unreasonable to infer that offices, if opened
at other places on the route, would be still more so.
If the extension which Captain Webb Ware suggests is demanded for
political reasons, I have nothing to say in the matter, except that, in this case,
it would I think be better to continue on the light line with a single wire which
now exists to Nushki to the Persian frontier, or whatever place it is wanted, than
to imperil an important commercial and international line by bringing this along
an unsuitable route for some indirect and secondary purpose.
The Nushki trade route. A political matter.
26. In stating my opinions so far in this report, I have endeavoured to
keep on the right side of the boundary within my own province'. I will now ask
leave to overstep this boundary for a moment. Assuming that the Nushki route
admits of much development, there is one objection to its undue advancement
which presents itself to me. This may, or may not, be worth considering, but
1 will state it. The existence of the Nushki route is directly against the
interests of Afghanistan. Any marked assistance given it may appear like an
attempt to injure the revenues of that country, and, in consequence, may create
a certain amount of ill feeling on the part of the Amir towards the Indian
Government. This would perhaps be a trivial objection if the Nushki route
could claim any intrinsic worth, or secure any profitable return for the money
spent on it, but where the chief, if not the only, advantage that can be claimed is
the establishment of political influence in a small isolated province like Siestan,
which as I have said before, would be considered, if in India, as an insignificant
villa° r e it may be questionable whether this influence is not being bought too
dearly if in addition to all the expenditure which the route will entail, and for
which there cannot possibly be any direct return, it will alienate the friendly
feelings of the Government of Afghanistan from the Indian Government.
Personally I do not think the Nushki route is important enough to create much
friction, as the Amir is probably kept well informed, and can gauge its value
pretty accurately. That the subject has attracted his attention, however, may
be seen from the fact that he has established several preventive posts on the
Afphan-Baluch frontier, obviously with the view of injuring the Nusliki-Siestan
trade route. More particulars regarding these preventive posts are given in
paragraphs 14 and 35, Appendix I, of Captain Webb Ware s report (1S99-1900).
While l am beyond my boundary, I will state one other matter which I remember
hearing from a Political Officer of experience. In repeating it here I hope I am
not committing any breach of etiquette. It is that the undue prominence which
has been aiven to the Nushki route, and the frequent flourishing references^ it
which are S published in the Indiai press, are certain to create a suspicion
“"h representing the Russian forward policy, who will not be slow in
XI fun advantage of the occasion to make some much more valuable
taking run references are no doubt beneficial as
countermove m return. These press ^erences attended with some
advertisements, but it is worth noting tnat uiey