File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎73r] (150/368)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
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ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
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[April 14.]
[12728]
No. 1.
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Sir C. Euan-Smith to Foreign Office.—(Received April 14.)
51, South Street, Park Lane, London,
Dear Mr. Mallet, April 13, 1910.
IN continuation of my letter of the 9th instant, I enclose you herewith a precis
of a letter which has just been received by Colonel Massy from our agent at
St. Petersburgh in connection with our endeavours to secure the concession of the
Samsoun-Sivas Railway.
I am, &c.
C. EUAN-SMITH.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Mr. Dandre to Colonel Massy.
(Extract.)
Dear Colonel Massy, St. Petersburgh.
.... After your departure from St. Petersburgh a certain period of time elapsed
during which our business was at a complete standstill owing to the fact that
Prince Galitzine was obliged to visit his estates in the country before his departure
for London and Constantinople, which necessitated the interview with M. Stolypine
being postponed till last Saturday, but since then matters have made great progress.
M. Stolypine has given a great deal of attention to our project, and has promised
us his support, but he has also judged it necessary that Prince Galitzine and
M. Moltchanoff should see M. Isvolsky, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who must
necessarily be informed of all that is taking place and all that is intended, as it is
through him that our representatives have to enter into relations with M. Charikoff,
the Russian Ambassador at Constantinople. In closing the interview with M. Stolypine,
the latter said that it would be very desirable that a written memorandum of what
was desired should be handed to him, and this was done the next morning by
M. Moltchanoff, who, according to trustworthy information which we have received,
made a most favourable impression upon the Prime Minister as being the best
possible agent for a large affair of this sort.
While we were considering the best way to approach M. Isvolsky, Prince Galitzine
and M. Moltchanoff received from him on Monday night an invitation to go and see
him next day at 3 o’clock. We learnt afterwards that this was due to the initiation of
M. Stolypine, who had begged him to see them and to explain the details of our
scheme. I cannot give you all the particulars of what passed at this interview, which
rendered it evident that the Minister for Foreign Affairs had a very superficial
knowledge of the whole subject. However, he is on the point of leaving St. Petersburgh,
and our matter will then rest in the hands of the Under-Secretary, who is thoroughly
well informed on the whole business
On Friday we are to have an interview with the British Ambassador, and we are
going to ask him if he will kindly see the Minister of Finance, who, in view of the
progress that has been made in the matter, will now be of great importance.
According to our first plan Prince Galitzine and M. Moltchanoff intended to leave
for London on Friday last, but after consideration we arrived at the conclusion that,
before going to Constantinople, it was necessary to know for certain that the assistance
of the Russian Ambassador at Constantinople had been secured. We considered that
it was better to delay on this side than to be kept for some time at Constantinople
while the necessary references were made to head-quarters.
We trust that these preliminaries will soon be settled, and that in about two weeks
our friends will be able to meet you in London
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