'The Russians in Akhal' [‎28r] (7/68)

7
1842.
1845.
“ Russian Naval Magazine,” No. 12, 1863.
* Mr. Thomson, attached to the British
Embassy in Persia.
“ Russian Naval Magazine,” No. 12,1863.
obtained was then exchanged for one given under
the seal of the Russian naval officer commanding
the guard ship stationed in the bay, but all boats
were searched, and arms were seized to be delivered
up again to the natives when they passed from the
bay homewards.
At the invitation of Count Medem, and with the
support of the Russian Government, a Moscow
trading company was at last formed in 1845 under
the firm of Elizarof, Baranof, Remezof and Co.,
and several of this company’s vessels arrived off the
Astrabad coast in the early part of the summer of
1846.
The Persian Government having refused to
sanction the construction of any storehouses or
buildings on Persian territory, the Russian naval
commander of the Ashurada station, who was
earnestly requested by Count Medem and the home
authorities to find means to inaugurate a Russian
trade with Persia, took the matter into his own
hands, and landing the men from his flag ship, the
“ Baku ” on the Astrabad coast near Gez, at a point
“ seven versts beyond the Kara-Su, which is con-
“ sidered the frontier line of Persia f ordered them
at once to build sheds in which the Russian mer
chandise was at once displayed for sale.
In the Russian narrative here quoted, the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
states that a certain Mr. Thomson,* having secretly
crossed the Persian frontier, instigated a Turcoman
attack on the Russian sheds. Mr. Thomson, it is
said, engaged 30 Turcomans for this purpose at
12 ducats each; but 12 Turcomans refused to pro
ceed with the business because, on crossing the
Kara-Su river at night, they were advised of the
necessity of putting to death three watchmen.
This attack is said to have failed and to have
led to the immediate construction of a factory An East India Company trading post. on
the mainland on the River Kara-Su, which was
protected by a guard of from three to five sailors
who were landed every evening with a one-pounder
falconet gun charged with grape. This gun having
been found in position by a Persian customs officer,
the fact was reported to Teheran, but the Russian
Minister at Teheran, on being called upon by the
Persian Government for an explanation, boldly
asserted that it was not a gun but merely a wooden
model and advised the Russian officer com
manding at Astrabad to have a model speedily made
and exhibited in corroboration of the assertion.
This was done, but the Governor of Astrabad
undertaking to protect the factory An East India Company trading post. , the Russian
guard was withdrawn, and thus the Russian
establishment on the coast was taken under Persian
protection while the Persian Government still with
held its formal sanction of it.
Colonel Sheil repeatedly drew the attention of the
British and Persian Governments to the Russian
encroachments on the Persian coast of the Caspian,
and Mr. Thomson adduced strong evidence of the
endeavours of the Russians to establish themselves
permanently at Ashurada and on the mainland, as