'Seistan and Mekran arbitration' [‎102v] (8/10)

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“ returned to the proposal of the Shah, for the
“ settlement by a mixed Commission of the Mekran
“ frontier question.” Whereupon the Duke of
Argyll replied that he “ entirely approved of the
“ suggestion, and that he was of opinion that
“ Colonel Goldsmid, either before or after the
“ Seistan arbitration, as might be determined by
“ Her Majesty’s Government, might advantageously
“ be employed on this duty as British Commis-
“ sioner.”
Lord Clarendon agreed, and instructed Mr. Alison
to inform the Persian Government that “ Her Ma-
“ jesty’s Government, being desirous of meeting the'
“ wishes of the Shah, are willing to agree to His
“ Majesty’s proposal, and Colonel Goldsmid, who
tf has been selected to act as Commissioner on the
“ part of Great Britain, will be directed to proceed
“ to the Mekran frontier either before or after the
“ settlement of the Seistan Arbitration.”
It was originally intended that Colonel Goldsmid
should commence his investigation in Seistan, and
his instructions, signed by the Duke of Argyll, with
the concurrence of the Earl Granville, were framed
with that idea; in consequence, however, of dis
turbances in Affghanistan, whereby it was rendered
impracticable for the Amir to send his Commissioner,
the plan was changed, and in 1870 he commenced
the Mekran Arbitration.
* The British Commissioner was employed upon
this duty for some months, and returned to Teheran
in July 1871, to discuss the results of his work and
to effect, if possible, a settlement through the
medium of Her Majesty’s Minister. After a pro
longed negotiation, in which the Shah himself took
an active part, a decisive note,J defining the boun
daries of the litigating States, was given in by
Mr. Alison, and accepted by the Persian Govern
ment. Mr. Alison took this step under the autho
rity of the Foreign Office; at the same time, the
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. concurred.
Subsequently, when the modification of the Mekran
Frontier was under consideration, Mr. Alison, the
representative of the Imperial Government, himself
designated the decision in the Arbitration as being
that of Her Majesty’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
On the termination of the Mekran inquiry in
August 1871, Colonel Goldsmid held himself in
readiness to commence the Seistan negotiations. At
this time a long correspondence took place between
Mr. Alison, Her Majesty’s Minister at Teheran,
and the Persian Government, as to the exact terms
on which the latter would finally agree to refer the
case to arbitration, the general principles having
been arranged in April 1870. The precise words
used by Mr. Alison in reporting the conclusion of
these preliminary negotiations were as follows,—
“ After a lengthened discussion the King has
accepted our arbitration in the following terms,—
‘ When the British, Persian, and Affghan Commis-
‘ sioners are all assembled together in Seistan, the
* Persian and the Affghan Commissioners respec-
Letter to Foreign
Office, 3rd June
1870.
Letter from
Foreign Office,
10th June 1870.
Enclosure in
Letter from
Foreign Office,
14th July 1870.
Letters from India, July to Dec. 1870, p. 877.
Home Correspondence, May to Dec. 1870. p. 682.
Letter from Foreign Office, 9th August 1870.
Telegram from Secretary of State to Viceroy. 27th
Oct. 1870. J
Enclosure to Mr. Alison’s Despatch, No. 46, dated
20th April 1871.
Decision in Mekran Arbitration.
X See Secret Letter from India, No. 82 of 1871,
20th Dec. (sent to Foreign Office 12th Feb. 1872.)
Letter to Foreign Office, 30th Aug. 1870.
Letter from Foreign Office, 4th Feb. 1874.
Basis of Mekran Arbitration as finally
SETTLED.
Letters from India, October to Dec. 1871, p. 385.
Secret Letter from India, No. 72, dated 31st Oct.
1871. (Copy sent to Foreign Office 9th Dec. 1871.)