File 3852/1912 Pt 1 'Persia: Trade in South. Conditions on the Bushire - Shiraz Road. Russian commercial competition in S. Persia' [‎128r] (255/368)

[This Docament is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Govemmo^f ]
PERSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA.
[March 5.J
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 4.
[9837]
Sir,
No. 1.
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. to Foreign Office.—(Received March 5.)
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. ^ March 4, 1914.
I AM directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 12th November last, enclosing copy of a despatch from
His Majesty’s consul-general at Bushire, covering a memorandum by his commercial
adviser on the existing insufficiency of transport in Southern Persia and the means of
improving it, and also your letters of the 22nd December, 1913, and 20th January, 1914,
forwarding the comments respectively of the Board of Trade and His Majesty’s
Minister at Tehran on Mr. Chick’s memorandum.
In reply I am to transmit, to be laid before the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, a copy of a secret letter from the Government of India containing a statement
of their views on the general position of British commerce in Southern Persia in
relation to the extension southwards of Russian trade influence.
The Marquess of Crewe concurs generally in the opinions held by the Government
of India, and would invite special attention to the last three paragraphs of their letter.
The conclusion arrived at by the Government of India is that the construction of
railways inland from the coast is the only really effective means of promoting British
trade in Southern and Central Persia, and that till the projects that have been put
forward in this connection are in some degree realised, they cannot advocate the other
proposals for stimulating British trade mentioned in paragraph 5 of their letter. His
Lordship observes tbat a similar view is held by the Board of Trade, and he is unable
to dispute these opinions, which he hopes may be borne in mind in the discussions with
the Russian Government regarding the alignment of the southern section of the
Trans-Persian Railway.
As regards the suggested institution of motor traction on certain sections of the
Bushire-Shiraz-Ispahan road, the Secretary of State, while accepting the views of the
Government oflndia and Board of Trade, would invite attention to the recommendation
of the former in paragraph 6 of their letter, that any rival proposal may be discouraged,
until at any rate it is possible to proceed actively with Mr. Chick’s suggestion.
For the present, therefore, there remains only Mr. Chick’s third main proposal: to
make the most of existing means of transport, and to secure the provision of a regular
and increased supply of transport animals. His suggestions in this direction are set out
in some detail on pp. 5 and 6 of his memorandum. They are supported by the Govern
ment of India, and the Secretary of State observes that one part of them is warmly
supported by Sir MI. Townley in his despatch No. 284 of the 23rd December. His
Lordship concurs in these opinions, and is prepared to contribute from Indian revenues
a half of the estimated cost (10(R. per annum) of extending to the places specified by
Sir W. Townley and Mr. Chick the system of collecting statistics of the numbers of
transport animals passing up and down the three main routes to Ispahan. He trusts
that Sir E. Grey will authorise Sir W. Townley to issue instructions to the consuiai
officers at these places to set the system in operation without delay. .
His Lordship attaches much importance to Mr. Chick’s further suggestion (to
which Sir W. Townley and the Board of Trade did not allude), and hopes that the
consular officers will be instructed at the same time to^ endeavour to secure e
co-operation of the local Persian authorities for the organisation of regu ar transpor
services on the roa'ds in question by exerting pressure to ensuie a ettei supp y
donkeys on the Bushire-Shiraz road, and, on the Shiraz-Ispahan road, of camels. lam
to suggest that the Persian Minister of the Interior, if the position were explained to
him by Sir W. Townley, with the aid of Mr. Chick’s statistics, might be willing to urg
the Governor-General of Shiraz to co-operate with the consular officers m organising an
effective transport system.
am, otc.
T. W. HOLDERNESS.
[2063 e —4]
Vide the first half of p. 5 of his memorandum.