'Letter from Sir M. Durand to Foreign Office' [‎71r] (1/4)

Letter from Sir M. Durand to Foreign Office.
110- Tehran,
My Lord, igth October 1898.
I have the honour to forward, for transmission to the 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. ,
if your Lordship sees fit, copy of a letter from Captain Percy M. Sykes,
regarding the proposed land line from Persia to India.
I wish to reserve my opinion until the officer deputed by the Telegraph
Department has surveyed and reported, but in the meantime the 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.
may like to see Captain Sykes’ letter.
I have, &c.,
The Marquess of Salisbury, K.G., H. M. Durand.
&c. &c. &c.
ENCLOSURE.
Captain Sykes to Sir M. Durand.
No. 3. Ispahan,
SiL _ 22nd September 1898.
IV ith respect to the proposed telegraph line via Kerman to India, I
have the honour to make the following report;—
It would appear that for a starting point from which the new line would
branch of! from the already constructed line, Ispahan and Kashan are the
only towns that need be considered.
The first-named city is a great commercial centre, possesses a good
climate, and is already joined to Kerman by a line running through Nain
and Yezd, which is, however, in a decrepit condition. The drawbacks are
unfortunately great, as not only would the line be longer but both the
Kohrud Pass to the north of Ispahan and the Lazarek Pass, with an altitude
of 8,400 feet to the east would have to be considered.
Kashan, with an altitude of 3,200 feet, or some 2,000 feet lower than its
rival, can only boast of a fair climate, while as a commercial centre it is far
less important than Ispahan.
On the other hand, by following the main caravan route from Kashan to
Yezd, which also runs through Nain, the telegraph line would run down
through the centre of a valley averaging some seven miles in width, whilst
the greatest altitude to be crossed would consist in the pass lying between
Nayistanak (5,721 feet) to the south, and Jogund or Zaferkund (5,412 feet) to
the north, where there is a very gradual ascent to 6,338 feet, with hills to the
western side of the track only, the descent being equally gentle. The fact
that this pass, or perhaps more correctly this watershed is nameless, tends
to confirm local statements to the effect that it is never blocked.
Both of the above-mentioned villages have a good climate and produce
supplies in abundance, so that either of them would appear to be suitable
for a telegraph station.
In 1895, I travefied from Kashan to Yezd, via Natunz, Kuhpa and
Nodushan. A reference to the new Route Book will show (Sect. I, No. 9,
p. 329) that this route is essentially a summer one, and, as it crosses the
Grodar-i-Khut (8,500 feet), a narrow pass at a considerable elevation, it
would not appear to be as suitable as the route referred to before.
S. 49.
Starting
point of new
line Kashan
to Yezd.
8,750 feet.
8,400 feet.
Vide Third
Journey,
pp. 62-65.
Height of
pass or
watershed
6,338 feet.