File 3874/1908 'Railways:-Trans-Persian Railway.' [‎256v] (514/536)

&**, ..
/l^t: 3 {L ' (-^ V) \
1 Ifni'S
)This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.!
; • X
[b;
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
,V
/ V
\*i , „ „
0 j !0'O ‘
ro\ i ^ JUL w, 0 >
..yN;
^ l al dfp^>
[July 6.1
Section 1.
[23132]
No. 1.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received July 6.)
X
3 /
(No. 157.)
gir 5 ^ ^ Tehran, June 17, 1908.
IN reply to your despatch No. 70 of the 9th ultimo, in which you were so good as
to forward, for observations, a Memorandum by Mr. Rees, M.P., I have the honour to
transmit herewith an admirable and lucid Memorandum, drawn up by Mr. Loraine, after
consultation with myself, examining and discussing, in a manner which is entirely in
accord with my own views on the subject, the suggestions put forward by Mr. Rees for
the utilization of the situation created by the recent Anglo-Russian Convention.
Mr. Loraine draws especial attention to the expediency of considering what steps
should be taken for the development of means of communication in south-western
Persia, and the importance of this is, I venture to think, largely emphasized by the
recent discovery of an oil well in Arabistan, the only information in regard to which
that has yet reached me I had the honour of reporting in my telegram No. 126 of the
28th ultimo. From such meagre facts as are available it is, of course, impossible to
estimate whether oil has been, or will now be, struck in sufficient quantities for the
laying of a pipe line and the regular exploitation of the Concession as a paying concern.
Should such, however, prove to be the case, a great impetus will infallibly be given to
the development of the neighbouring regions, and the port of export, presumably
Mohammerah, will at once assume an importance it has not hitherto possessed.
In the corner of Persia affected circumstances are peculiarly favourable to the
expansion and consolidation of British interests. The firm of Messrs. Lynch Brothers
occupies a prominent position at Mohammerah and Ahwaz, the Euphrates and Tigris
Steam Navigation Company have a steamer service on the Karun, in the hinterland m
the Bakhtiari road constructed by British enterprise, the Oil Syndicate is well known
in the district through those of its officers who have been conducting the boring
operations in recent years, and, lastly, in view of our special relations with the Sheikh
of Mohammerah in particular and in a lesser degree with the Bakhtiari Khans, nothing
would be more natural than for us to take the lead in the development of the regions
which they govern. I entirely agree with Mr. Loraine that the construction of a
railway from Mohammerah to the capital would most materially contribute to the
desired end.
The reflection will not have escaped you, Sir, that such a project might encounter
opposition from Russia. In this case, however, I venture to think that Russian inteiests
in some degree coincide with our own. Russia is perhaps, even more than ouiselves,
interested in preventing the internationalization of Persian affaiis. If we diaw back
from the task, or are prevented from undertaking it by considerations of Russian
interests, the door is left open for its assumption by a third Power. Should that
Power be successful in grasping the opportunity offered it and in effecting a serious
lodgment in south-western Persia, its Representative at Tehran would automatically
acquire an influence and a voice in Persian affairs that it would be difficult, if not
impossible, to gainsay.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES M. MARLING.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr, Loraine. ^
[Foreign Office Despatch No. 70 (13229) of May 6, 1908.]
THREE points for discussion stand out clearly from Mr. Ree’s Memorandum
1. The feasibility and expediency of the course he proposes.
2. The opportuneness of the moment for initiating it.
3. The fitness of the means he proposes to attain his ends.
[1848/—1]