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'Memorandum on Persian Railways' [‎103r] (17/84)

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The record is made up of 1 file (42 folios). It was created in 20 Jun 1911. It was written in English and French. 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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13
* In Herat Diarj No. 5, 2nd February
1911, and Meshed Consular Diary No. 7,
18th February 1911, there are rumours as
to the Amir having enquired of the in
habitants of Herat and Kandahar whether
they are in favour of railway construction.
These rumours need not presumably be
treated very seriously.
The Russian proposal was not followed up, and
indeed it may be said of all proposals for railways
through Afghanistan that they have been mentioned
only to be excluded for the reason referred to in the
present case, viz., the diiliculty of securing the
Amir’s consent. There is not only himself, but his
subjects, to be reckoned with.' ::: ‘
Renewal of rumours as to Rus
sian Railway projects in Persia.
M. Rittich’s pamphlet.
Sir C. Scott 8 DeKpatch No. 93,
4th April 1900.
(P. 13.)
Sir C. Scott’s Despatch No. 93. 4th
April 1900.
Sir C. Scott’s Despatch No. 116, 2nd
May 1900.
(Pp. 12 and 39.)
14. About the end of the 10 years’ period for
which the Russian Agreement of 1890 was to be in
force, there was a renewal of rumours as to Uussian
radway projects in Persia, and the activity of
Russian engineers in different parts of the country.
The anxiety of Russia may, perhaps, be in part
explained by the fact, reported in a despatch from
the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg, that
“ M. Witte was much disturbed by the grant of the
“ concession to Germany for the Constantinople-
“ Bagdad line, and by the idea of this line
“ being possibly connected through Persian ter-
“ ritory with Indian railways, and thus forming
“ a direct trade route to Asia, which would seriously
“ injure the prospects of the Trans-Siberian and
“ other projected Russian lines. The Ambassador
also sent home about this time a summary of a
Chauvinistic pamphlet on “Railways m Persia’
by a Russian officer (M. Rittich), who described
Great Britain, then involved in South Africa, as
the “ Modern Carthage,” and declared that Russia
should push forward lines from Tabriz through
Tehran to Bunder Abbas, with a branch from
Tehran to Kushk. He also indicated two Russian
lines through Afghanistan, one from Kushk to
Kandahar r/d Herat, and the other from Chardjui
to Peshawar passing to the north-east of Kabul.
“ The defence of India,” he wrote, “ on the side of
“ Baluchistan is weak, and acting on this side we
“ may achieve the highest results. Every plan for
“ the defence of India is centralised in the north,
“ where two-thirds of the whole army are con-
“ centrated, where the passes are very difficult and
“ the fortifications powerful. Leaving the Turkes-
“ tan army on the Hank of Afghanistan, in order to
“ make a demonstration and for active operations,
“ we can throw the other Turkestan and Caucasian
“ armies into Seistan, Baluchistan, and Central
‘ India. There will be no impediment and no
“ opposition to our forces. The English railway
“ across Nushki will be useful to us for the
“ conveyance of stores, and if the English connect
“ it with Meshed, we shall have a direct line
“ of communications with the Caucasus and
“ Turkestan.”
In commenting on this pamphlet, Mr. C. (now
Lord) llardinge observed The strategical con-
“ si derations put forward by the author are of no
“ great value, since it is evident that, so long as
the British fleet is able to command the Persian
“ Gulf, an advance on India through Seistan and
“ Baluchistan would be exposed to a flank attack
“by a British force acting from the south upon
B 3
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Content

The memorandum outlines the development of proposals for railways in Persia between 1872 and 1911. This includes discussion of the potential advantages/disadvantages (both commercial and political) for the British in the construction of railways in Southern Persia, and the potential threat posed by the expansion of Russian railways in Northern Persia towards British India, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Proposals for various schemes are included, from those limited to internal routes within Persia, to schemes designed to link the rail networks of India and Russia via a Trans-Persian link. Consideration is also given to British and Russian efforts to maintain their spheres of influence in Persia, and their joint desire to resist any encroachment by Germany.

The memorandum is signed by John Edward Ferard, 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 (folios 123-132) contains supporting extracts from various papers (aide-mémoires, correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and published writings). This includes the following:

  • an extract from a minute by George Nathaniel Curzon, Viceroy of India, dated 4 September 1899, respecting the importance of Seistan [Sīstān] to the maintenance of British influence in Southern Persia (ff 123-124);
  • an extract from a minute by the Viceroy of India, dated 28 October 1901, respecting the potential threat of increasing Russian influence in Persia to Britain's strategic and commercial interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (ff 124-125v);
  • an extract from the Anglo-Persian Agreement (31 August 1907) respecting Persia (ff 125v-126);
  • various communications between British, Persian, and Russian authorities on the topic of railway construction in Persia (ff 126-130);
  • extracts from various published sources on the subject of railways in Persia (ff 130-132).

An index to the memorandum can be found on folios 134-136. Some extracts in the main body of the memorandum, and some papers included in the appendix are in French.

Extent and format
1 file (42 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 95, and terminates at f 136, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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'Memorandum on Persian Railways' [‎103r] (17/84), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/C122, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100027916873.0x000012> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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