File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎11v] (27/566)

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supposes a certain amount of good will on the part
of the Persian Government. If therefore, fen •
Grey approves this programme, and there is a
reasonable probability of carrying^ it ^ out, Lord
Crewe is of opinion that His Majesty s Government
could afford to tolerate the Swedish regime m Lars
and Kerman for another year at all events, and to
continue to advance funds for the purpose. I»ut he
considers it essential (1) that the advances should
be administered under the supervision of Jlis
Majesty’s Minister, and should not be used out
side Pars and Kerman; (2) that the Swedish
Government should be pressed not to agree to
any modification of the contracts with the new
officers in trie directions indicated in Sir W.
Townley’s telegram of 18th May, and to see that
only first-class officers are sent; (3), that the
Persian Government should be urged to instruct
the Swedish officers that their first duty is to
maintain order on the roads to the coast, and that
it should be impressed both on that Government
and on the Swedish Government, that inasmuch as
the gendarmerie owes its continued existence solely
to British money and support, British interests
and commerce have a claim upon its services,
second only to its obligation of loyalty to Persia ;
(4) that orders for supplies in Fars and Kerman
should be placed with British and Indian firms.
The last is, perhaps, a small matter in itself, but
it appears to his Lordship to be one in which His
Majesty’s Minister should feel bound to exercise
a special degree of watchfulness in behalf of British
and Indian commerce. In return for this concilia
tory attitude (the continuance of which, however,
should be understood to be conditional upon a
marked improvement in the efficiency of the force),
His Majesty’s Government would expect amenability
on the part of the Persian Government in respect
of the lease of the islands and other matters men
tioned above.
11. Lord Crewe puts forward these suggestions
with a sincere desire to avoid a radical departure
ii om the traditional policy of His Majesty’s Govern
ment in Persia. But he realises that, even if they
tire successfully carried out, thej 7 ' are the minimum
that is required for the maintenance of British
interests, and that they must be supplemented by a
firmer resistance of all attempts to push Russian
influence south of Ispahan than the terms of the
Anglo-Russian Convention may, perhaps, be held
to justify. If they prove impracticable, he sees no
alternative to a revision of that instrument, with
ail the disagreeable contingencies that may ensue.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) T. W. Holderness.