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File 930/1912 'Mohammerah - Khoremabad Railway' [‎126r] (258/396)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (194 folios). It was created in 31 Oct 1911-25 Nov 1912. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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24.
Enclosure No. 6.
Report of the Committee on the proposed Trans-Persian Railway.
The propos il of the Russian Consortium on which the Secretary of State asks the
opinion of the Government of India, is the construction of a railway line from Baku to
Tehran, thence via Kum, Kashan, Yezd to Kerman, and thence to Nushki via Seistan.*
It is stated that the construction of a railway in Persia is not an object complete
in itself, but simply a means towards the realisation of “ a world route to unite by one
contiguous line of rails Europe to India and other countries in the Far East”. j
The more immediate object of the promoters appears to be the development of Russian
r rade wi’h Persia, which is now threatened by the Baghdad Railway and the increasing-
interest of Germany in the Middle East. It is also remarked incidentally that the line would
secure Russians strategic position in Turkey and in Western Trans-Caucasia.
The line is to be constructed as an international undertaking, the participants being
Russia, Great Britain, France and possibly Persia. The cost of construction is estimated at
206,950,001) roubles and the possible profits at 15 per cent on the subsciibed capital.
The Government of India are asked for their views on the question of railway connec
tion in general and the particular proposal put forward in the Russian memorandum, and
their advice is specially asked upon the commercial aspects of the project, and its immediate
local consequences.
2. It may be convenient at the outset to offer a few observations on the general Advantages and
question of the pros and cons of a connection by land between Europe and India by way of a Qf^aUway 598
Trans-Persian Railway. connection.
The question may first be considered from the point of view of the defence of India Europe and
against foreign invasion. By the operation of the Anglo-Russian Convection we are secured India,
for the present from the fear of a Russian invasion ot India, but in the nature of things («) Strategical
the possibility of hostilities with Russia at some future date cannot altogether be ignored. aa(i poetical.
In view of this possibility it is clear that any material improvement of land communications
towards or through the natural barriers which at present encircle the frontiers of India must
involve a great increase to the military responsibilities of India,—respons.bilities ,which are
already inconveniently heavy. From the purely strategical point of view therefore it would
undoubtedly be preferable that India should maintain her ^an-insular position and should
refuse to co-operate in any scheme which would tend to facilitate the transportation of a
hostile Power up to or across her frontier.
We recognise, however, that the march of events in the Near and Middle East renders it
impossible that this position of isolation can be indefinitely maintained. Th^ advent of the
Ba O' hdad Railway combined with the impotence of Persia must inevitably disturb the
quo, while the prospect of a Russo-German combination in the event of our refusal to co-operate
in the Russian scheme compels us to reconsider the position from a wider outlook. From this
standpoint it seems to us desirable to seize the opportunity which the present proposal offers
for securing the conditions which we consider essential rather than to wait until circumstances
may force us to permit the connection on terms which may be less advantageous.. ^
-£ .3. With regard to the merits of the enterprise from the commercial point of view, we m commercial,
are in (jeneral agreement with the opinions expressed in the letter from the Board of Trade to
the Foreign Office of L3th September 1910 and in Mr. Worthington’s memorandum forwarded
■ therewith. We do not consider that there is any likelihood of goods being, carried on the
railway from the United Kingdom to India or vice-versa. The cost of transport by sea,
especially to the south of India, will always be cheaper than by rail, and the sea route will ,
have the further advantage of avoiding the re-handling of the goods at a continental port and
. at the points at which breaks of gauge may occur. We are inclined to doubt . also whether
the through passenger traffic on the railway would be of any great magnitude. The volume
of such traffic between the United Kingdom and India is not very large or likely to increase
in any consi lerable degree, since there is no emigration to India such as is carried on the
trans-Siberian line; and it seems probable ihat a reduction in farts would enable the steam-ship
companies to retain the bulk of the existing traffic. As regards the local traffic northwards
from India into Persia, no doubt the railway would lead to some development of this trade,
■ but it is imposs ble to form any estimate as to the amount of such increase in view of the wide
difference between the conditions under which the traffic is now carried on and those which would
be created by the existence of the railway. The natural channel for Indian trade to Persia is
„ * A subst-qaent telegram from the Secretary of State, dated 30th December, shows that the Russian Consortium
now favour an alignment via Tehran, Ispahan, YVzd, and Kerman, but that the Russian Government prefer that the
line should ruu from Tehran south-east to Kerman to avoid the possible risk of eventual intersection by a German
line at Ispahan. : i

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Content

The volume concerns proposals for the construction of a British-owned railway between Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] and Khoremabad [Khorramabad] in Persia.

The papers include: the response of the Shaikh of Mohammerah, the Government of Persia, and the Government of Russia to the proposals; an 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. 'Memorandum on Persian Railways' dated June 1911 (including a map entitled ' Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Adjacent Countries', dated June 1908, on folio 184, to illustrate the memorandum); a Government of India 'Report of the Committee on the Proposed Trans-Persian Railway', February 1911 (folios 126-128); 'Report to the Board of Trade by Mr. H. W. Maclean, Special Commissioner of the Commercial Intelligence Committee to Persia, on certain matters connected with Persian Trade' (folios 101-104), and letter giving the views of the Board of Trade on the proposed railway, 25 March 1912 (folios 96-99); correspondence from the Persian Railways Syndicate, which stated it was surprised at the 'lukewarm attitude' towards the project of the Government of India (folio 80); discussion of proposals to negotiate a lease of Khor Musa [Khowr-e Mūsá] from the Shaikh of Mohammerah (folios 26-54); and interest in Khor Musa from the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (folios 38-39).

There is also significant correspondence in the file from the Foreign Office and the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Zachariah Cox).

The volume contains copies of earlier correspondence and agreements from 1903-1911.

The French language content of the volume consists of approximately ten folios of diplomatic correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (194 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of volume.

The subject 930 (Mohammerah-Khoremabad Railway) consists of one volume only.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 194; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-51; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 930/1912 'Mohammerah - Khoremabad Railway' [‎126r] (258/396), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/246, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035407595.0x00003b> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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