'Persia, Herat, and Seistan' [‎90v] (24/28)

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On the following flay (November 14th)* Lord
Salisbury addressed a telegram to Mr. Thomson
with reference to this Memorandum. This telegram
was supplemented by a letterf bearing the same
date, to the following effect: —
“ Malcom Khan came yesterday to the Foreign
Office to urge that some decision should be taken
without delay by Her Majesty’s Government upon
the proposals made by the Persian Government
with a view to facilitate the proposed transfer of
Herat to the custody of the Shah, of which pro
posals you have sent home a summary by telegraph.
He left with me a memorandum of telegraphic
communication which he had received to that effect
from the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and
of which a copy is enclosed herewith for your
information.
“ I informed him that the matter had been laid
before the Queen and the Cabinet, who did not look
unfavourably upon the policy which had been pro
posed on the part of his Government; but it was
a rule, I said, from which the Queen’s Government
rarely, if ever, departed, that Oriental questions of
this gravity should not be decided by them before
they had the opportunity of hearing and considering
the views of the Viceroy of India.
“ The despatch containing them was now on its
road to England.
“ Malcom Khan appeared to be satisfied with the
reply I had given him.” ....
On the same dayj Mr. Thomson telegraphed to
to the Marquis of Salisbury as follows :—
“ In a further conversation with the Minister for
Foreign Affairs yesterday. His Highness authorized
me to state that the Persian Government would be
prepared to modify or adapt, so as to meet the
views of Her Majesty’s Government, the terms of
the proposals already accepted respecting Herat.
They would, for instance, engage, in the event of
Russia occupying Merv, to ‘ withdraw ’ from Herat,
and to revert to the stipulations of the Treaty of
1857. He added that they would also be prepared
to come to terms on any additional conditions which
Her Majesty’s Government might think indispen
sable^ I gather from His Highness’s conversation
that, in the event of the transfer being made, Persia
would be ready to occupy Herat with her own
troops, and that lie did not anticipate that there
would be serious, if any resistance.” .
In a further telegram, dated the 17th November..
Mr. Thomson informed the Marquis of Salisbury of
the following telegrams which had passed between
the Viceroy and himself :—§
From the Viceroy.—“ In any arrangement about
Herat ^ I attach great importance to Persian co
operation in railway from Candahar to Herat, which
is ^ the ouly practical guarantee for Persian good
laith. Persian offer to guarantee Resht transport
railway, and her rejection of this condition, would
therefore imply untrustworthiness.”
* From Foreign Office, 15th November.
f From Foreign Office, 20th November.
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f From Foreign Office, 14th November.
§ From Foreign Office, 17th November.