File 3516/1914 Pt 9 'German War: Persia' [‎262r] (528/618)

[This Document is the Prnnprf* r f -o „
rio^ 1 .y_x 1 _^ Bntai!11 , a Maiestv-a GovermnenU
PERSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[July 29.j
t \ ^ ^
, 5 — ? bKCTLOX 1,
[103688]
(No. 97.)
Sir,
No. 1.
06
Mir. Marling to Sir Edward Grey. —(Received July
• p ? ' attitude of tlie 1 ersian Prime Minister towards the two legations, almost
V u t u d } 16 t 00 ^ extremel y perplexing. Yon will remember that
nes s Professed to M. de Etter and myself, when we called on him on the
Idtn xvlay, iMlo, the greatest readiness to pursue a policy, the main principle of which
was to be the maintenance of the neutrality of Persia, and the counteracting of the
u-erman enorts to embroil this country in war, while we on our side promised to
endeavoui to obtain some financial support for his adminstration from our Governments,
and that in conclusion Ain-ed-Dowleh suggested that he be content to work on what I
may call a system of payments by results, i.e., that when he had achieved something
towards those ends, we would do something to strengthen his position. I said at the
time that I had already to thank him for his successful efforts to tide over the bank crisis,
and that on the principle he suggested I thought that I could arrange that the Imperial
Bank of Persia should make to the Persian Government an advance of 40,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. ,
the sum mentioned by himself, and, as a matter of fact, Mr. A. O. Wood at once agreed
to effect the transaction provided it was put into a business form. On various
pretexts, mostly connected with Mr. Wood’s very reasonable requirements as to form,
which Ain-ed-Dowleh however represented as showing an unfriendy spirit on the
part of the bank and the legation, his Highness did not actually draw on the credit
opened for the Government to this amount until the end of June, and, in fact, showed
just as much reluctance to take advantage of the assistance tendered as he did in the
matter of furnishing to the Russian Minister and myself the data necessary to enable
us to submit to our respective Governments a proposal to give Persia some financial
support to enable her to tide over the financial embarrassment created by the war (see
my telegram No. 199 of 13th June last). His Highness’s behaviour to the Russian
Legation was equally remarkable. M. de Etter had repeatedly told him that in such
questions as the collection of the maliat by the Russian consuls, the acquisition of real
property by Russian subjects, &c., he was ready to find a solution of a nature to satisfy
Persian feeling, but in no single instance has Ain-ed-Dowleh ever shown the smallest
sign of readiness to discuss these matters, which have so long been a Peisian
ened his position. In fact, Ain-ed-Dowleh has refused or delayed accepting everything
offered to him; and has consistently demanded one thing, and that the one w nc
M. de Etter and I are convinced that we could not accord, and whic , moreover,
other Persian Ministers have plainly hinted must in no circumstances be accorded,
namely, the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Kazym and Resht 1 will even o ,
further, and say that Ain-ed-Dowleh would be dismayed if he thought that his request
would be fulfilled. . , p
Nor until quite recently can I find any particular reason oi co £> assumed
Ain-ed-Dowleh’s efforts to combat the German intrigue. eiy ® 0 ° 11 , TVhiVhber-es-
office, he gave me a distinct promise, which he has never repu la e ’ . , • p e
Sultaneh should be removed from the Governorship o ars, on y p
Should be allowed to do it in his own way, but in spite of strong ~
is still a thorn in our side. My efforts addressed to is ig ne ®® £ thouo-h I have
parties of German emissaries turned back have been no mo r e su^
had promises in plenty, and the experience of my R “
satisfactory than my own, for the murderer of Baron von removal of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i-
M. de Etter has to derive what satisfaction he can ou i n by the latter’s
Muhtasham from the Governorship of Is P al ? an ’ on ^ J 3 b tin? Russia/ Legation as
own brother, Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i-Ashjaa who, it is ^^^/g/po^eh’s conduct towards (
their one partisan among the BaLhtiari khans.
[2154 ff-l]