'The Russians in Akhal' [‎53r] (57/68)

PART IV.
Russia and Persia—E ngland intervening.
Henvey’s Precis, 1872—75, pp. 92 and 93.
j-n the year 1834, the British and Russian
Governments came to a common understanding
respecting the independence and integritv of the
dominions of the Shah of Persia, which, in the year
1838, Count Nesselrode referred to as “ still sub-
“ sisting in full force.”
Central Asia,
to 174.
No. 1 (1878), pp. 170, 172
Ibid, p. 176.
In the year 1865, after a great deal of evasion on
the part of the Russian Chancellor, Sir Andrew
Buchanan succeeded in extracting from Prince
Gortchakotf a confidential assurance (given through
the Russian Ambassador in London) “ of the firm
f< intention of the Emperor to respect the integrity
u of Persia.”
Sir E. Hertslet’s Foreign Office Memo
randum ; February, 1873.
In the meanwhile the Shah had on numerous
occasions expressed his anxiety on the score of the
integrity of his dominions in view of the steady
progress of the Russian encroachments and pro
ceedings on the South littoral of the Caspian.
Thus, to begin with the period of the Russian
occupation of Ashurada, remonstrances were ad-
diessed by the Persian Government to the Russian
Ambassador at Teheran, which were treated so
lightly by Count Medem that, in the year 1846,
the Shah was obliged to ask Colonel Sheil “ if the
“ British Government would give him any assist-
“ ance at St. Petersburg to enable him to effect the
" removal of the Russians from the island ?”
Mr. Thomson did in 1853 “point out in the
strongest terms to the Persian Government the
“ consequences which would ensue from allowing
Russia to ^ get a footing on the mainland near
Asterabad (Gez), and he was instructed to urge
the Persian Government to put Astrabad and
other Persian forts on the Caspian in a state of
defence, but “ by advice of the British Government
“ the Sadr Azem, proposed that no steps should be
“ taken provided Ashurada was immediately eva
cuated. The Russian Chargd d’Affaires admitted
that “ Ashurada was undoubtedly a portion of
“ Persian territory,” but he said that it w;s im
possible for Russia to evacuate that island; and
calling upon the Shah to annul the orders which
had been issued for the defence of the coast, the
works were not proceeded with.
a he Persian Government on all occasions evinced
a disposition to resist Russian encroachments,
showing a disquietude at the Russian proceedings
on the coast and among the Turcoman subjects of
the Shah. Thus, besides the appointment of an
European officer to put the coast defences in a state