'Memorandum on Persian Railways' [‎98v] (8/84)

4
“ ever they should be attempted, but its possession
is essential to Russia even for sustained opera
tions in Western Afghanistan. This is clearly
set forth in important Russian secret official
“ papers.
“ Even if we admit that sooner or later Khorasan
must become a Russian province, and that Herat
“ and Northern Afghanistan must fall to Russia, it
“ is desirable to postpone the evil day as long as
possible. Nothing would so hasten its arrival as
“ the construction of such railways as are here
contemplated, and nothing would so greatly add
to Russia’s power for still further advance.
“ The absorption of Khorasan into the Russian
Empire, or even its control by means of railways
in Russian hands, will compel India to add to her
already heavy military burdens.”
On the 15th Maich a further memorandum was
prepared by the Intelligence Department on a
projected Russian line of railway either from Resht
or Baku, through Tehran, Kashan, Yezd, Kerman,
and Bampur, to Charbar on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , it
was pointed out that, possessed of this line and
established in Khorasan, Russia would control the
whole of the Persian kingdom, and gain a position
on the Indian Ocean that would necessitate an
increase of British naval forces in Indian waters,
and add to our already heavy burdens “ To sum
up, the cost of the enterprise is very large, but
the commercial results to be ultimately obtained
(i.e. by Russia) may possibly be worth the outlay,
while the strategical position to be attained,
“ owing to the additional menace which it would
involve to our position in North-Western India,
might possibly be deemed sufficient to justify so
“ large an undertaking.”
5. On the 20tli March 1889 Sir H. 1). W olff
forwarded the following important engagement 0
given by the Shah with respect to railways m
Persia, and with special relation to those in the
south : -
The Shah to the Munster for Foreign Affairs.
“ (Translation).
His Excellency the Minister for Foreign
“ Affairs.
Of His Excellency Wolff the English Minister
Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary’s
“ communications, information has been received,
“ and it has caused much astonishment.
Oonvey these commands to His Excellency
“ the Minister Plenipotentiary. Even give him this
very autograph, in order that he may keep it and
be satisfied that our former promisef with regard
to the priority of the English Government over
“ others in the construction of a southern railway
to Tehran continues to hold good ; and, certainly,
whenever railway concessions in the north, &c.,
“ are given to others, immediately a Concession for
“ a railway from Tehran to Shuster, or such a one,
Memorandum of Intelligence Depart
ment, 15 th March 1889.
(P. 132.)
(P. 134.)
Undertaking by Shah, of 16th Sep
tember 1888, as to Railways in Persia.
Shah’s agreement with Russia, of
1889.
Sir H. I). Wolff's Despatch, No. 62,
20th March 1889.
(P. 19.)
* This document (except the postscript)
was read out by Lord Morley in the House
of Lords on the 22nd March 1911. See
Parliamentary Debates, page 596.
t This may refer to an oral statement
previously made to the draft concession
mentioned at the beginning of paragraph 3
above, or to the grant of the Reuter con
cession. The point is not clear here, or at
Foreign Office.