'Persia, Herat, and Seistan' [‎86r] (15/28)

* Froai
1879.
Foreign Office, 28th October
f From Foreign Office, 29tb October 1879.
15
Shah s Government should undertake ‘not to allow
any foreign agent or travellers, excepting English
‘ to reside at or visit Herat.’” 5 s sn ’
“ Lor f. Cranbrook observes, however, that by the
fast Article of the Separate Compact, relative to
commerce, &c., concluded between Russia and
Rersia in accordance with Article X. of the Treaty
ot i urkomanchai between those Powers, it is pro-
Moed not only that Russian subjects shall ‘he
‘ allowed^ to trade throughout the whole kingdom
o eisia, but also that they shall be permitted
P™ cee( ^ States adjoining the said king-
cc In the face of this provision it seems to His
Lordship to be very doubtful whether, without risk
of grave complications with Russia, it would he
possible lor the Persian Government to exclude
Russian travellers from Herat, and whether, there
fore, that city could be secured from becoming a
centre of intrigue by the adoption of the course
suggested by Mr. Thomson.
“ In Lord Cranbrook’s opinion this point should
receive very careful attention before any decision is
arrived at on the general question.
His Lordship further considers that, in the event
of an arrangement with Persia in regard to Herat
being eventually concluded, the right of the British
Government to station a Resident there should be
distinctly stipulated.
“ I am directed to add that Lord Cranbrook has
requested the Viceroy of India confidentially to
express his views on the question, and that they
will be communicated in due course for the infor
mation of Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for
Poreign Affairs.”
Mr. Thomson had previously,* 26th October 1879,
intimated the Shah’s intention to open the Karun
river to foreign trade and navigation in the event
of his request for the cession of Seistan being com
plied with.
On the 27th of October,f the Marquis of Salisbury
addressed a further despatch to Mr. Thomson, giving
in full an account of a conversation with Malcom
Khan, the substance of which was sent in a telegram,
of the same date. The despatch ran as follows :—.
“ The Persian Minister called upon me to-day,
and asked, he said, by special orders from the
Shah, whether it was the intention of Her Majesty’s
Government to annex the whole of Afghanistan,
and especially Herat, or whether they purposed' to
place that town in the hands of an independent
Chief. I told Malcom Khan, in reply, that England
did not contemplate any extensive annexations in
that quarter, and that, at any rate, it was highly
improbable that we should annex Herat. I added,
that the information which had been received from
General Sir F. Roberts was not yet suflicieiitly
complete to enable Her Majesty’s Government to
form any definitive conclusions. The conversation
then turned upon the proposals with respect to