File 930/1912 'Mohammerah - Khoremabad Railway' [‎154v] (315/396)

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“ the Russian line of communications at a great
“ distance from the Russian base. the wailike
“ Bakhtiari and Kashgai tribes and the Lurs ot
“ Luristan would under such circumstances become
“ important factors in the struggle .’ 1
15. Some three years later Mr. (now Sir C.)
Spring-Rice, Charge d’Aftaires at Tehran, commu
nicated further information regarding M. Rittich,
who had, it appeared, been specially sent to Persia
and Persian Baluchistan in 1900 by the Russian
Government to investigate as to railways, and
economic, political and military conditions, dhe
information included two lengthy confidential repoits
from that officer, and their gist may be gathered
from the following extracts from Mr. Spring-Rice’s
despatch :—
“4. The various routes to the south have been
“ subjected to a close examination. The Russian
report strongly recommends the route via Yezd,
“ Kerman, Bam, to Oharbar, outside the 1 eisian
“ Qidf, and giving direct access to the ocean. 1 his
“ route is recommended in consequence of the
k< great difficulties attending the construction of a
“ Tine to Bunder Abbas or Bushire, the naval
“ predominance of England on the Gulf, and the
“ alleged unsuitableness oi these ports for a naval
“ station. It is suggested that a branch should be
“ constructed from Bam to Seistan, which un-
“ ‘ doubtedly might serve as a place d'armes for a
“ ‘ movement on Kandahar, and through Nushki to
“ ‘ Quetta.’ The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. adds that ‘ the English
“ ‘ have already facilitated our operations in this
“ ‘ direction by constructing a caravan road and
“ ! digging wells.’ ”
“ 5 . With regard to the question of the con-
“ struction of a railroad by the English, the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
“ alludes to the experience gained by Russia in
“ Manchuria, which shows with what ease and
“ celerity a railway once made can be repaired,
“ however complete its destruction. ‘ From a
“ military point of view,’ he remarks, ‘ it would
“ absolutely play into our hands.’
“ 6 . Colonel Napier (Military Attache at
“ gt. Petersburg) points out that in making an
“ attack upon India the main difficulty which
“ Russia would have to encounter would be trans-
“ port. If, therefore, Russia has a line through
“ Persia to bring up her troops, as well as the
“ Trans-Caspian and Orenburg-Tashkenr lines, the
“ attack would be greatly facilitated. . . . .
“ 8 . With regard to the cost of the line from
“ Trans-Caucasia via Resht and Tehran to Chakh-
“ i-bahr (Charbar) the Russian report estimates
“ it at 19,695,COOL, allowing 1,575,O0OC for the
“ construction and armament of a port. The
“ distance is given as 2,290 versts (1,500 miles).
“ The estimate allows 8,5000 per verst.* it is to
“ he observed that the Siberian Railway cost
“ 12,2850 per verst, and the Manchurian 17,8500,
Further information as to views of
M. Rittich.
Mr. Spring-Rice's Despatch No. 396,
23rd November 1903.
(P. 184.)
* One verst = • 62 miles.