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'Memorandum on Persian Railways' [110r] (31/84)
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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
27
“ Lingah? No. Similar physical difficulties are
“ prohibitive.
“ Everything points to Bunder Abbas as the
“ best terminus :—
“ (a) It is connected by cable alread 3 r with
“ Bushire, Maskat, and Karachi, and with the
“ railway no doubt telegraphic comm unication with
“ Shiraz would come.
“ (6) A large commodious British Consulate has
“ just been built at considerable cost.
“ (c) It is by nature a good port, and is sus-
“ ceptible of rapid improvement at a reasonable
“ cost. See Lord Curzon’s ‘ Persia,’ V 7 ol. II., page 420,
“ and ‘
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Pilot, 1895, with additions
“ ‘ 1906.’ (Admiralty or Stanford).
“ (d) It is connected with Shiraz by a route
“ via I^ar and Jahrum offering few physical
“ difficulties.”
Views of Foreign Office as to pro
posed communication to Russian
Government.
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.
,
17th December 1909.
(P. 162.)
Pol. 4355/09.
Sir G. Barclay’s Despatch, No. 206,
8th November 1909.
(P. 122.)
Sir G. Nicolson’s Despatch, No. 632,
1st December 1909.
(P. 142.)
Foreign Office Memorandum regarding
Railway Construction in Persia, 29th
September 1908.
(P. 414.)
Pol. 3970/08.
(P. 163.)
31. Towards the end of the year 1909 corre
spondence was resumed as to the general question
of railway construction in Persia in a letter
addressed by the Foreign Office to this Office,
enclosing copies of despatches from Sir G. Barclay
( 8 th November) and Sir A. Nicolson (1st December).
Sir G. Barclay, after personal consultation with
Major Cox, concurred in the view that had been
expressed in a Foreign Office memorandum of
the 29th September 1908, written while our
reply to the Russian aide-memoire was under
consideration, as to the disastrous effect upon
British trade in Persia of a Julfa-Mohammerah
railway on the lines proposed by the Russian
Government, and he emphasised the need for
simultaneous construction of the railway from
north and south, and for the exclusion of differ
ential rates. He accepted the list of the lines
mentioned to the Russian Government as those of
special importance to British interests, with the
addition of the link to join Bushire via Aliabad
with the Bunder Abbas-Shiraz line. Sir A.
Nicolson’s despatch reported a conversation in which
M. Isvolsky had mentioned the visit to London of
the Duma deputies and their desire that through
communication with India should be established.
This would, M. Isvolsky thought, serve as a
set-off to any detriment or risks which Russian
interests might suffer by the construction of the
Bagdad Railway, but he knew that it was yet too
early for the project to be realised.
In their letter the Foreign Office expressed
general concurrence in the views of Sir G. Barclay
and Major Cox, but considered that it would be
better not to await a settlement with the Russian
Government as to the Moh am me rah-J ulfa line
before making a demand on the Persian Govern
ment for preferential rights to construct the
Mohammerah-Julfa and other lines. Their letter
continued as follows :—
“ Turning now to Sir A Nicolson’s despatch
“ Lord Morley will observe that M. Isvolsky is
D 2
About this item
- 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 View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/C122
- Title
- 'Memorandum on Persian Railways'
- Pages
- 95r:125v, 127r:129r, 132r:136v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence