File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎248r] (505/885)

Sir Stratford
Canning-, No. 70,
April 27, 1844.
Colonel Shell to
British
Commissioners
at Erzeroum,
August 29, 1843.
Colonel Sheil,
No. 19,
September 27,
1843.
Colonel Sheil,
No. 56,
May 14, 1844.
Memorandum
communicated by
Count Nesselrode,
September 1844.
Count Modem’s
Memorandum,
Enclosure in
Sir Stratford
Canning’s No. 240,
November 2,1844.
Lord Aberdeen to
Sir Stratford
Canning, No. 5,
January 7, 1845.
memorandum on Mohammerah by Major Rawlin-
son; a general survey of the whole frontier
dispute by Sir Stratford Canning ; two despatches
from Colonel Sheil, British Minister at Tehran,
elucidating the question from the Persian aspect;
certain Russian memoirs ; and, finally, a despatch
recording the considered views and decision of
Her Majesty’s Government, after a very full
examination of all the arguments, and after con
sultation with the Russian Government.
My precis, which here largely consists of
extracts from the first two documents, does not
follow implicitly all the arguments advanced by
Sir Stratford Canning regarding the ownership of
Mohammerah, partly because there was a certain
divergency between the conclusions first reached
by his Excellency and those urged by Colonel
Sheil; partly because his Excellency ultimately
admitted (pace Sir Henry Layard) that more
regard should be had to the factor of prescrip
tion, which militated against Turkey; and partly
because, on a review of the complete correspond
ence and at this distance of time, arguments
and data appear in a slightly altered focus.
If, however, as appears possible, the Mohammerah
question is again reopened, and especially if it is
brought before The Hague Tribunal, a more
detailed reference to the correspondence, w r hich
is now being printed, will be required.
One of the points most warmly debated at the
Conference of Erzeroum was the question of right
to Mohammerah. That town had been attacked
and razed to the ground by the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Bagdad
in 1837, for the reason that, it was becoming a
thriving commercial port, and bid fair to endanger
the trade of the neighbouring town of Bussorah.
This episode greatly embittered the relations of
Persia and Turkey : the former Power claimed an
indemnity of one million sterling on account of
property destroyed and the indignity suffered ; the
latter Power not only rehutted the claim for
indemnity, but put forward a counter-demand for
the ownership of Mohammerah and the surround
ing country, and to the allegiance of the resident
tribe.
Owing to this and other causes, a rupture
between the two Mussulman Powers appeared
imminent: it was in such circumstauces that
Great Britain and Russia, more nearly interested
than any other European Powers in the mainte
nance of peace in the East, offered to mediate,
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