'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎634] (703/714)

PERSIA
—without Turkish consent. And yet the line suggested is one that
does not profess for one moment to consult Turkish interests or
views; it neither opens up her resources nor connects her populous
centres; it does not save her from Russian aggression on the north
nor add to her own defensive strength in the south; it has in
fact, been discussed and decided solely in its bearing upon British
intei ests and upon the safety of the Indian Empire, But are we
entitled to assume that Turkey is so very warmly interested in
either ? My own experience of the Turkish Government in Asia
is that no axiom is dearer to its heart than that charity not only
begins but stays at home; and that, if there is a people or
a government at whose expense the Ottoman officials love to
assert their independence in a vexatious spirit, it is the British.
Before, therefore, we calmly discuss the question of making a
thousand-mile railway in our own interests through Turkish terri
tory, would it not be as well to ascertain what the Porte thinks
on the matter ? I have very little doubt myself as to what would
be the nature of the reply.
Considering that the project is advocated almost solely on
military grounds, it should at least be invulnerable in those
Military res P ects - 1 doubt exceedingly whether this could be
said of a Euphrates Valley railway. Not only, in the
impetuous desire to take a bee-line to India, without considering
the intervening country, does it, as I have pointed out, ignore the
true strategical line for the defence of Asia Minor, which lies
greatly to the north (within the radius of Urfa, Diarbekr, Mardin,
and Mosul); but, laid as it would be across a lengthy and utterly
unprotected stretch of country, this railway would be peculiarly
exposed to attack, and would consequently provide a most unsafe
line of communication in time of war.
But strongest of all are the fiscal and commercial objections
i do not see how such a line, running through such a region,
Economic COllld P ossibl y b e expected to pay; and I should indeed
be loth to incur the responsibility of advising any
Government to saddle itself with even a limited guarantee. I fail
to see how it could pay, for three reasons : (1) because of the
tremendous initial outlay ; (2) because the line would not pass
through either an agricultural or a mining district, and local
traffic would be practically nil ; (3) because through traffic, either
ot passengers or of merchandise, would be small—far smaller