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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎87r] (178/258)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (129 folios). It was created in 1912-1916. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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[■This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government,!
[A]
PERSIA.
Confidential.
[November 23.]
Section 1,
[47191] No - L
Foreign Office to Sir W. Garstin.
(Confide ’ ) Foreign Office, November 23, 1912.
1 ’ I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of Viscount
Errington’s letter of the 18th instant, in which he furnishes certain explanations
respecting the enclosures in the letter addressed by you on the 5th instant to this
department on the subject of the Trans-Persian Railway project.
^ Before dealing, as promised in my preliminary letter of the 14th November, with
the proposals now under consideration, I am to recall the important reservations which
His Majesty’s Government have consistently maintained in regard to this question.
In a letter dated the 2nd March, 1912, and addressed to Lord Errington, the
following passages occur :—
“We have no objection to any percentage of distribution or representation, of which
Lord Revelstoke may approve, in so far as the interests of Great Britain, Russia, France, and
ourselves are concerned in the Societe d’ Etudes. . .
“ But we must be understood to reserve full freedom ot action when it comes to the actual
construction and subsequent management and control of the lines which may be built. We shall
expect if the scheme is to be carried out with our approval, to be consulted about the alignment,
constitution of the board, representation of British interests, percentage of construction orders
to be placed on the British market, and, in general outline, about freight and passenger rates.
“Our obiect is not to raise difficulties, but to reserve our freedom of action in regard to such
matters, and I need not say that, when the Societe d’Ltudes furnishes its ^ report, we shall take
into full consideration any recommendations which you may lay before us.
And in a further letter, addressed to Lord Bevelstoke on the 25th March, 1912
the following passage occurs :—
“lam to add that, amongst the questions as to which His Majesty’s Government desire to
retain their freedom of action with regard to this railway, should be included that of the gauge to
be adopted.”
In September of this year, during his visit to this country, the Russian Minister
for Foreign Affairs communicated a memorandum to Lord Reve s o e, pioposing e
early dispatch to Tehran of delegates representing the bocnLe ( ut es > an °p
23rd October Lord Revelstoke explained, during an interview wi ^ ir •
the Marquess of Crewe, and Sir Arthur Nicolson, the points a is?>ue. a
28th October a record of these explanations was furnished to the Foreign Office by
Lord Revelstoke, and it contains the following passages :
“The immediate question before the society was the obtaining ^"Jy^^^ith^t an
Persian Government granting permission, in pneral terms, o survey^^ ^ b /included in the
option to construct a line traversing Persian territory, the P j b tbe Governments
alignment being left to future examination and decision afte pp 7 ^
concerned. This concession was to be asked for as a whole, u or ? Tehran and to obtain
to limit actual construction to the northern section between Thege rights, so far as
for the company optional rights covering the completion o influence would be retained
they pertained to territory within the Russian or British spheres ot influence,
by the groups representing the countries respectively interes ,e . obtaining
“The present proposal was to approach the Persian epresenting th?
their sanction to the above by the'dispatch at an ear!y date of de egate^
Societe d’Ltudes as a whole and the British, Russian, anc i y j p. wag presumed
French group were prepared to nominate and dispatch a representative, and P
that the Russians contemplated similar action.”
. “ Sir Edward Grey,'; in the words of Lord aT'S" of
gwe his sanction in principle to delegates being sen
obtaining the concession as outlined above.’ _ OQT .x E. Grey w
cam^id^ G~nt granting permission
[2700 2 — 1 ]
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Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, and maps relating to the development of railways projects in South Persia and the associated marine surveys of Gulf ports, notably Bandar Abbas and Bushire.

The volume includes the report of Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson on the technical issues concerning development of railway lines between Bushire and Shiraz, and Bandar Abbas and Shiraz. Also included is a report on the commercial possibilities of these two developments, compiled by Commercial Adviser, H G Chick. These reports (folios 101-124) are preceded by an accompanying summary and analysis by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Percy Zachariah Cox.

Also discussed in the correspondence is the question of concessions for railways in the neutral zone and the relative advantages (climate, water supply) of Bushire and Bandar Abbas as railway termini in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The correspondence also features discussion of a rumoured German scheme for a Bushire-Shiraz railway.

Further discussion surrounds the arrangements for marine survey work in the region of Henjam and Bandar Abbas to be undertaken by the RIMS Palinurus. A report by the Captain of the Palinurus, Captain B W Mainprise is included along with three marine survey maps (folios 48-50).

The principal correspondents in the volume include: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Consul General for Fars (Lieutenant Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox); (Lieutenant Colonel Stuart George Knox); First Assistant to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Captain L Birdwood; Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department; Under Secretary of State, 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. ; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey); Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Louis Mallet); Director, Royal Indian Marine, Walter Lumsden; Officer Comanding, RIMS Palinurus ( Captain B W Mainprise); Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department.

The volume includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (129 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 4648 (Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports) consists of 1 volume, IOR/L/PS/10/316. The explanation of the cover sheet/divider at the front of each volume (regarding the correspondence series numbers which have been put together to form the volumes) will be given in the Scope and Content.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 127; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

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English in Latin script
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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎87r] (178/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943904.0x0000b3> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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