File 3516/1914 Pt 2 'German War: Persian neutrality' [144r] (292/348)
The record is made up of 1 volume (170 folios). It was created in 4 Nov 1914-5 Mar 1915. It was written in English and French. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
—i—PC III 11 ' WWM
CONFIDENTIAL.
PERSIA
Sir W. Townley to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received December 28, 4 50 p.m.)
Tehran.
(No. 385. Secret.) K. (December 28, 1014, IT p.m.)
IF it is considered desirable, I have reason to believe that I could perhaps induce
Persian Government to declare themselves on our side, but negotiations would have to
be conducted by me alone or through Persian Minister in London. If Russian Minister
took any share in the proceedings, the Persian Government would draw back at once.
He is distrusted and disliked to such an extent that no Persian will negotiate with
him. Such strong partisans of Russia as Farman Farma and Mirza Yanz, the political
leader of Armenians, have strongly impressed on me of late that my Russian colleague
must not appear in any pourparlers for a change of Ministry or other matters.
The Cabinet realise that Russian Government intends to persist in its present
hostile attitude. They feel that if they do not now join us they will be forced before
long to declare against us, which would entail Persia’s final destruction. Public
opinion will only consent to Persia’s siding with Russia if Cabinet could show that
they bad been promised such a return for this action as would secure Persia’s future
independence and integrity as well as provide her with necessary funds for re
establishing her position.
M. Sazonof’s argument used when this question w r as raised some time ago, that
Persia might be exposed to a Turkish attack in centre of her frontier if she sided with
us where we could neither of us protect her, was not, I think, well founded. Persia
could probably put in the field tribal levies composed of Sinjabis, Lurs, and Bakhtiari
quite as formidable as any force Turkey could spare to send against her. This force
could be stiffened by a body of, say, 4,000 gendarmes under British officers with
machine guns. The Sinjabis and Bakhtiari are keen to fight on our side. Every day
makes it more clear that Persia cannot maintain her neutrality so long as Russian
policy in Azerbaijan continues to be of a nature to inflame popular opinion.
Threatening letters are making their appearance. Russian Minister received one
some days ago warning him that he would be blown up by a bomb and that the
British Minister would suffer a like fate. Christmas Day was fixed for the outrage. By
a curious coincidence, on Christmas Eve a youth carrying a bomb was blown to'pieces
by its accidental explosion about 50 yards from the entrance gate to His Majesty’s
Legation.
2
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About this item
- Content
The volume concerns diplomatic tensions between Persian, Ottoman, Russian and British Governments, at the outset of the First World War (Anglo-German war in the file). The main focus is the Russian occupation of Tabriz and Persian Azerbaijan, ending with Persia's neutrality in 1914.
The volume covers:
- Persian neutrality and declaration of war between Turkey and Great Britain.
- Russian troops in Azerbaijan, and their withdrawal from Tabriz.
- British interests in Azerbaijan and Tabriz.
- Christian minorities in Persian Azerbaijan.
- Defeat of Shuja-ed-Dowleh in December 1914.
- Anglo-Turkish war: departure of British Consul and British residents from Tabriz and Urmia; Persian towns occupied; movements of Turkish troops.
- Reply of Turkish legation at Tehran to British document stating the causes to join the war, printed on the Persian newspaper Ra'd (ff 111-115).
- Translation of an anti-British proclamation issued at Isfahan, commenting on the outbreak of hostilities between Turkey and Great Britain, signed by Mirza Abbas Yezdi (ff 123-130).
- Looting of properties of the Russian Consul at Soujboulak [sic, in the Tabriz region] by Turkish troops.
There are some letters in French, from the Consul General for Persia at Calcutta.
The volume’s principal correspondents are: Louis du Pan Mallet and Eyre Alexander Barby Wichart Crowe, Foreign Office; Walter Beaupre Townley, British Minister at Tehran; Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; George William Buchanan, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Russia; Ernst Bristow, Acting Consul General at Isfahan.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (170 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 172; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 3-170; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 3516/1914 Pt 2 'German War: Persian neutrality' [144r] (292/348), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/479, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100051827727.0x00005d> [accessed 17 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/479
- Title
- File 3516/1914 Pt 2 'German War: Persian neutrality'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:6v, 8r:21v, 23r:33v, 37r:70v, 73r:110v, 116r:122v, 131r:156v, 157v:160v, 164r:171v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence