File 1377/1905 Pt 1 'Perso-Baluch Frontier: Frontier Demarcation' [‎142r] (55/188)

25. It will probably be considered too late to lay stress, at this stage, on
the objections stated in the above paragraph, but it is not too late to use the
arguments as propounded in paragraphs 23 and 24.
26. Instead of this Mission proceeding to the Mirjawa border and remain*
ing there for some indefinite period, pending references to Tehran, I would
suggest that the small rectification of boundary proposed above be urged upon
the Persian Government, forthwith, and that this Mission should, in order to
avoid the difficulties and hardships of maintaining themselves in a barren
uninhabited country, remain in Seistan, pending the settlement of the question.
The Persian Government seems so anxious to see us depart from Seistan that,
perhaps, they would^ willingly waive a point or two to expedite our departure.
Actual demarcation itself, when once the course of the boundary line is settled,
would take only a few days.
27. As for Mirjawa itself, its importance, strategically, has been fully
dwelt upon by Major Showers in paragraph 41 of his report above quoted.
This importance, as we know, has been thoroughly understood by the Eussian
Government and, through them, is now fully appreciated by the Persian
Government. Personally, I am inclined to think that the importance of the
place has' been somewhat over-rated, although there is no denying the fact that
it is a well watered place close to our trade route, which, under certain, 'but
still remote, conditions, might be made of great inconvenience to us. It is
situated on the best and easiest route . from Khorasan and Seistan to the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , but the strengthening of our Baluchistan border, and improved
communications, would tend very largely to negative the value, in other hands,
of a route passing so very close to our territory. The importance to ourselves,
or others, of Mirjawa, very largely depends on the course of future events in
Seistan. The more our position with regard to Seistan is strengthened, the
leas and less important does Mirjawa become.
28. To obtain possession of it ourselves is a matter which obviously lies
outside the scope of a local Demarcation Commission such as this, and is one
which, if taken up at all, can only be arranged by direct negotiations, in
Tehran, with the Persian Government. The analogy of Gumbad-i-Kaboos, and
the surrender of Persian water rights to Russia at other points of the Russo-
Persian border, would, afford a fair pretext for demanding some
similar concession to us at Mirjawa, if such be desired.
29. I am not, however, called upon to discuss this question beyond so far
as it concerns Padaha, where our new post has been built. Sufficient has been
recorded by Major Showers of the topography of this tract to show fairly
clearly that, in accordance with the definition and map of Colonel HoldiclPs
agreement, our post at Padaha is in imminent danger of finding itself within
Persian territory. In the printed and signed copy of the North-West Trans-
Prontier, 1 inch = 4 miles, sheet No. 14 S.-W. of November 1892, which
forms the official agreement map, it will be seen that the junction of the so-
called Mirjawa and Talab rivers is shown some 7 miles south of Mirjawa.
The boundary line shown on that map would bring the Padaha post some
distance within Persian territory. I understand thht no suitable site exists in
the neighbourhood to which our post could once more be removed and, even if
it could, we may, I think, reasonably decline to add another to the many
concessions which, unnecessarily or not as the case may be, have already been
made by us in the matter of the Perso-Baluch boundary.
30. So much prominence has been given to Mirjawa and its neighbourhood,
and Padaha has been so explicitly referred to in the instructions of the Persian
Government to the Tamin-i-Nizam, that I foresee no possibility of making
him agree to any boundary in this neighbourhood more favourable to us than
that of the Holdich Agreement. Short of re-opening the whole question of the
Perso-Balucb boundary, and demanding, on the strength of our recent surveys
and enquiries, a rectification of the frontier which will give us Mirjawa in
return for concessions made to Persia further south, the only course open to
us appears to be to press for such slight rectification of Holdich’s boundary as
may be found necessary to include the Padaha post within our territory.
2499 F. D.