File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎11r] (26/566)

defend itself against tribal attacks, and Lord Crewe
would suggest that it should be required to
maintain, at its own expense, a corps of local levies.
8. The subsidy recently renewed to the Tigris
and Euphrates Navigation Company should suffice
to secure that Company against Messrs. Wonckhaus’
encroachments on the Karim for the next two
years, during which it is hoped that the new
directorate may see fit to adopt more active and
business-like methods for the furtherance of its
business ; and Lord Crewe is of opinion that the
measures above indicated, taken together, will
sufficiently safeguard the position of Great Britain
in this most important region.
9. In southern Persia His Lordship attaches
primary importance to securing a lease of the
islands at the mouth of the Gulf, and to pressing
forward with as little delay as possible negotiations
with Russia that will permit of the construction of
a railway inland from Bunder Abbas. But as
regards the latter he is unable to recommend that
any further concessions should be made in respect
of an alignment east of that place, or of British
predominance on the southern section and in the
port itself; and he would ask whether it is
impossible, irrespective of these negotiations, to
arrange with the Persian Government for the
commencement of the southern survey. Such a
measure, which would seem to be justified by the
fact that the Persian Railways Syndicate have a
claim on His Majesty’s Government prior to that of
the Societe, in respect of a line from Bunder
Abbas to Kerman, might serve to bring the
Russian Government to a more speedy decision.
If the survey is undertaken Lord Crewe would
urge that it should be under the protection of a
British escort. Its operations will be in districts
that have not yet been policed by the Swedish
gendarmerie, which is notoriouslv undermanned.
10. The question of this gendarmerie is one of
great difficulty. Lord Crewe has hitherto supported
the Swedish officers, not because he felt great
confidence in their eventual success, but because
he realised the grave political objections to the
substitution of British officers. Ihe course of
events has neither increased his confidence nor
diminished the objections; but without endorsing
Sir W. Townley’s opinion as to the success
that has actually been achieved, so far as the
south is concerned, he is impressed by the con
siderations advanced in the Minister’s telegram
No. 181, of the 19th instant, and recognises that the
coronation of the young Shah is the worst possible
moment for a change of policy that could
hardly fail to throw the new Government into
opposition to British interests. Such a step too,
would, he thinks, be likely to endanger the success
of the programme outlined above, which pre-