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'Memorandum on the Situation in Southern Persia' [‎8r] (5/18)

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The record is made up of 1 file (9 folios). It was created in 16 Feb 1912. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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Note to Persian Government of
14th October 1910 as to local force
under Indian Officers.
Letter of Foreign Office to India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
2t)th July 1910.
(P. 114)
Pol. 3731/10.
Mr. Marling\s Despatch No. 114, 2nd
July 1910.
(P. 130.)
Pol. 3731/10.
Letter of India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. to Foreign Office.
4th August 1910.
(P. 159.)
Pol. 3731/10.
Mr. O’lleirne’s Despatch No. 355, 24th
August 1910.
(P. 244).
Pol. 3941/10.
Sir G. Barclay’s Telegram No. 406,
14th October 1910.
(No. 31.)
Pol. 4082/10.
Sir G. Barclay’s Despatch, No. 192, 15th
October 1910.
(P. 102.)
Sir E. Grey's Telegram to Sir G. Bar
clay, No. 328, 7th November 1910.
(P. 121.)
8. The situation did not improve, and on the
26th -Inly 1910 the Foreign Office forwarded to
this Office a despatch in which Mr. Marling
described the condition of the southern roads, and
proposed that he should be authorised to inform
the Persian Government that “ if by the end of
“ September such a degree of security has not been
“ established as to permit ordinary caravan traffic
“ to be resumed, His Majesty’s Government will
“ take in hand the duty themselves.” The Foreign
Office letter dwelt on the disadvantages of active
intervention in Persia and the landing of troops in
that country, and outlined a scheme that had been
discussed in Ixmdon with Sir G. Barclay, “ for the
“ formation of a force of 1,000 or 1,200 men,
“ analogous to the Cossack brigade, for the pro-
“ tection of the roads.” The force was to be
levied and officered by 8 or 10 officers of the
Indian Army, lent for the purpose by the Govern
ment of India. The cost was estimated at about
40,000T a year, of which part could be provided
out of a surtax of 10 per cent on goods imported
through the ports of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and the rest
from the revenues of Fare. The India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. con
curred in the scheme, it was ascertained that the
Russian Government had no objection to it, if it
did not extend to points in the Russian sphere, and
in the result a Note was addressed to the Persian
Government on the 14th October warning them
that His Majesty’s Government vrould take steps for
the organisation of the local force under British
officers if order on the Bushire-Ispahan road were
not restored within three months.
The text of the Note is printed as an Appendix.
Its terms (paragraph 4, end) went somewhat
further than had been intended by His Majesty’s
Government.
Misrepresentation of the British
Note.
Communications with the Persian
Government.
Sir G. Barclay’s Despatch No. 196, 29th
October 1910.
(P. 133.) (French translation.)
Sir G. Barclay's Despatch No. 205, 3rd
November 1910.
(P. 197 ) (English translation.)
9. The British Note, of which distorted versions
were published, was widely represented, in this
country and abroad, as pointing to a British occu
pation of Southern Persia. The Persian Govern
ment itself replied to it in a note, dated the 21st
November 1910, wTierein they described as the
essential causes of the deplorable situation the
presence of foreign troops in the country, the recourse
of guilty persons to the various legations, and the
pecuniary difficulties of the Government as succes
sors of a former regime. They recited the difficulties
which they had experienced in getting money, and
the steps they proposed to take for that purpose,
promised to spend the greater part of the money so
obtained on the restoration of order, and proposed
also themselves to impose a surtax of 10 per cent,
on the customs for the annual expenses of a gen
darmerie. His Majesty’s Government’s proposal
they described as “ contraire a la souverainete du
‘‘ pays et peu con for me aux relations d'amitie et de
“ bonne intelligence qui out subsiste jusqu d present
“ entre les deux Etats, and they declared that
“ jamais et dans aucune cir con stance," could they
agree to it. They further denied that trade had
suffered.

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Content

The memorandum outlines the development of policy proposals for ensuring the security of British subjects in Persia from 1905-1912. This includes the consideration of the following: the dispatch of a force from India to occupy parts of Southern Persia, an increase in the strength of consular guards, the establishment of a gendarmerie in Southern Persia under Swedish officers, and the payment of subsidies to local tribes to provide security. It also outlines various incidents and outbreaks of unrest that have occurred in Persia over the same period; particular attention is given to Shiraz, and the question of whether or not to evacuate the British consulate there. It is signed by John Edward Ferard, Political Department, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .

The appendix (folio 14) contains a note addressed to the Government of Persia by Sir George Head Barclay concerning the establishment of a local Persian force in Southern Persia under the command of British officers from the Indian Army.

Extent and format
1 file (9 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 6, and terminates at f 14, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the item also contains an original pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Memorandum on the Situation in Southern Persia' [‎8r] (5/18), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/C125, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026028616.0x000006> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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