File 4345/1912 'Trans-Persian Railway' [‎11r] (26/330)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
PERSIA.
1 ^ / w
[February 21.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
1 h i O j
Section 3.
[8386]
#
No. i.
Viscount Errington to Sir A. Nicolson.—(Received February 21.)
My dear Sir Arthur, 8, Bishopsgate, London, February 20, 1913.
ENCLOSED is a memorandum referring to some of the points raised in conver
sation about Persian affairs at the Foreign Office on the 18th February. I trust you
will find this resume in accordance with your recollections of the main features of the
discussion.
Should you be able to see us again next Tuesday afternoon (25th February), at
any hour most convenient to you, Eevelstoke would greatly appreciate the opportunity
of talking matters over with you further before going to Paris next week.
Yours very sincerely,
ERRINGTON.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum of Conversation at the Foreign Office on February 18, 1913.
Present: Sir Arthur Nicolson, Lord Eevelstoke, and Lord Erriimton.
SIR A. NICOLSON opened the conversation by referring io the Foreign Office
letter of the 4th February. Lord Eevelstoke replied that his letter had been duly
received and considered by the British group of the Societe d’Etudes, whose reply
should reach Downing Street in the course of the next few hours.
Lord Eevelstoke then said that, although he had not personally been present at
the meeting of the British group last Monday, he gathered that the impression left on
the minds of its members was that the last communication from the Foreign Office
was tantamount to extinguishing the trans-Persian railway project as such. It was
further pointed out that the alignment now indicated to the British group by the
Foreign Office could not be considered as a clear line to the sea-coast, inasmuch as a
concession for the last section of this alignment (i.e., Shiraz to Bunder Abbas) was
understood to be claimed by other parties.
To this Sir Arthur demurred, saying that, without reference to documents, his
impression was that the alignment suggested was a “ clear line.” It was, however,
agreed that this point should be elucidated through the official correspondence still in
progress with the Societe d’Etudes.
Lord Eevelstoke then explained that it would be desirable to communicate to
the Eussian and French groups in the societe the latest correspondence between the
British group and the Foreign Office, as, for instance, Sir L. Mallets letter of the
4th instant and the reply. Sir Arthur agreed that this course would be advisable,
and added that he did not apprehend any objection to such a step, more especially^ as
communications were to be made to the Eussian Government, who would doubtless
keep the Eussian group informed.
Persian Loan.
Setting aside the question of railways, Sir Arthur Nicolson then said he w r as
anxious to talk about the financial aspect of affairs in Persia
He explained that from the side of the British and Indian Governments every
disposition had been shown to act on the lines discussed in London in October last,
namely, to advance 1,000,000b jointly with Eussia from Government sources to assist
the Persian Government in re-establishing order. Much opposition had, however,
been encountered from Eussian quarters owing to the difficulty in that country of
making cash advances for special purposes of this nature.
Agreement had, nevertheless, been reached, and a joint advance for a total sum of
400,000b was to be made to the Persian Government for general purposes.” From
this total some 30,000/. out of the amount contributed by Great Britain was to be
[2804 x—3]
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COPY '-o I M ‘‘MA
14 MAR 1913
SECRETARY'S N- 1 I !