'Russia, India and the Persian Gulf' [‎19v] (38/46)

34 Proceedings of the East India Association.
and the hinterland, so far as the Salt Desert, was a perfectly practicable
arrangement which should be adopted by this country. As they knew, when
Russia ran down from the north we always had complaints, and a rousing
of public opinion in this country. He remembered when she came to
Merv they all suffered from what people called “ Mervousness.” The
same thing would happen with regard to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. question. He
did not believe they could ever consent to the principle that Russia, or
any other European Power, should control the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the
hinterland. On that question he thought the back of this country was
placed against the wall, and the sooner the question was faced the better
it would be for European peace. It might be objected that he was going
in for a forward and costly policy. That was by no means the case. They
had been told that Beloochistan was administered practically without any
expense to this country. He did not contemplate that they should even
think of annexing districts contiguous belonging to Persia; but if Russia
ever absorbed the northern provinces of Persia, they would have to face
the question of an occupation of those districts, and he did not believe
the occupation would cost more than the occupation of Beloochistan.
They must further consider that the hinterland and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. was
at the present day bringing in considerable sums to this country, and that
every year, in consequence of our vacillating and withdrawing policy, those
sums were being lost to the country. He did not believe in a statical
policy. He did not believe they could oppose the dynamical policy of Russia
through Persia by any standing upon the status quo. As Russia came
down from the north, so they must go up from the south. He submitted
that to the dynamical policy of Russia they should oppose, not a Jingo
policy, but a policy based on that of Russia, of peaceful penetration into
the interior. Such a policy, he maintained, would not only increase com
merce, but in the end would be far less costly than any alternative that
could be proposed. (Applause.)
Dr. Oswald desired to ask Mr. Lynch what he thought would happen
as to the hinterland at the head of the Gulf when Russia possibly wished
to go there from* Armenia.
The Chairman : Mr. Lynch has occupied more than his allotted time,
but I did not keep him to it, because his remarks were of extraordinary
interest. He has finished his speech, and I must not ask him to speak again.
Mr. Emmott thought that the effect of the new tariff on cotton goods,
our chief export to Persia, had been a little bit exaggerated. At the
same time they must not hide from themselves the fact that the tariff
as a whole was designed against British interests; and whatever might be
said about cotton goods, there was no question as to the effect of the
enormous increase of 95 per cent, on the tariff on tea from India. The
question how far they should assist railways in the future was of very great
interest. It appeared to him they were rapidly reaching into a position in
which they ought to consider the advisability of assisting railways in certain
localities, where their construction was of great advantage to British trade.
Mr. Martin Wood said the lecturer had gone a great deal beyond the
* The answer will be found in Mr. Lynch’s “ Armenia.”