'Report and Proceedings of the Standing Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Persian Gulf' [‎31r] (66/94)

On the 25th January, 1879, the town and a portion of the territory of Kotur
was formally ceded to Persia by the Ottoman authorities and occupied by the Persian
troops.
A difference of opinion arose, however, between the two Powers in regard to what
precisely constituted the “ territory of Kotur.”
Her Majesty’s Government and the Russian Government considered that the
intermediate line agreed upon in 1876 by Sir Arnold Kemball and Colonel Zelenoi
should be adopted as a basis for the demarcation of Kotur, as the Plenipotentiaries at
Berlin had clearly in their mind a decision made, or to be made, by that Commission.
A Commission composed of British, Russian, and Turkish Delegates, was appointed
in March 1879 to demarcate the “frontiers of Turkey in Asia” in accordance with
Article LX of the Treaty of Berlin. This Commission did not reach Kotur in 1879,
being occupied with the Russo-Turkish frontier.
In 1880 General Sir E. Hamley was appointed British Commissioner; on the
27th July this officer and General Zelenoi met at Sary Kamish and signed a Protocol
and maps fixing the frontier of Kotur.
The originals of these documents are in the Foreign Office Library.
In April 1881, a joint communication was made to the Porte by the British and
Russian Representatives, recommending the adoption of the line laid down by General
Hamley and General Zelenoi.
In a Memorandum dated the 1st May, 1883, the Porte declared its readiness to
proceed with the delimitation “ in accordance with the boundary traced by the Anglo-
Russian Commissioners.”
The Map and Protocol of Jnly 1880 were then communicated to the Persian
Government, who forthwith appointed a Commissioner.
Colonel Everett and Colonel Kulberg were appointed to assist the Turco- Persian
Commissioners in the work of demarcation on the frontier.
Mr. Wyndham reported on the 29th May, 1883, that the Porte only accepted the
Map and Protocol of 1880 “ with certain reserves.”
Much delay ensued in negotiating about these reserves, and in September
1883 the Ottoman Government informed Her Majesty’s Representative that the
delimitation must stand over till the following year.
In February 1884 Lord Dufferin reported that the Porte altogether repudiated the
Hamley-Zelenoi line. The British and Russian Ambassadors continued to press for
the issue of an Irade authorising the acceptance of this line, but with no success. In
a despatch dated July 1884, Lord Dufferin animadverted with much ardour upon the
attitude of the Ottoman Government, which he attributed largely to the influence of
Germany. On the 22nd January, 1885, it was reported that the Irade had not yet
been issued; and the Kotur question appears to have been allowed to drop, the
Sultan considered the proposed session of territory to be unjust, and expressed the view
that some of the other stipulations of the Treaty of Berlin, less unfavourable to
Turkey, should first be carried into effect.
In 1884 a dispute arose in the Pusht-i-kuh or Bagsai district. Her Majesty’s
Government made a proposal to the Russian Government that British and Russian
Commissioners should be appointed to endeavour to effect an agreement.
This proposal was accepted by the Russian Government, but when the course to
be pursued was communicated to the Porte (in June 1884) its attitude was evasive
for some years, and a disposition to minimise the incidents in question was manifested.
Mr. Abbott,
No. 3,
February 27,1879.
Sir 11. Layard,
No. 1369,
November 4, 1878.
Mr. Thomson,
No. 58,
March 13, 1879.
To Lord Dufferin,
No. 278,
May 1, 1879.
To Major Clarke,
April 14, 1879.
To Lord Dufferin,
No. 278,
May 1, 1879.
Sir E. Hamley,
No. 37.
July 27, 1880.
See original
Treaties, “ Turkey
No. 44.”
Mr. Goschen,
No. 408,
May 24, 1881.
Mr. Wyndham,
No. 47,
May 3, 1883.
Mr. Thomson,
No. 69,
May 26, 1883.
Mr. Wyndham,
No. 334,
May 29, 1883.
Mr. Wyndham,
No. 512,
September 7 ;
No. 524,
September 9, 1883.
Lord Dufferin,
No. 66,
February 24,1884.
Lord Dufferin,
No. 231,
July 15, 1884.
Mr. Wyndham,
No. 378,
November 10,
1884.
Mr. Wyndham,
No. 34,
January 22, 1885.
Pusht-i-Kuh.
To Sir E. Thornton
No. 95,
April 19, 1884.
Foreign Office
Memorandum,
October 2, 1888.
Sir E. Thornton
(St. Petersburgh)
No. 153,
May 17, 1884.
Sir W. White,
No. 76,
Telegraphic,
October 22, 1888.