'Seistan' [‎362r] (725/782)

[ 15 ]
a mo ^ e res oluto attempt is being made to capture the
a < vet. Quite recently a number of Germans have for some time been
engaged in a study of the situation at Bunder Abbas. During the sprint of
the present year, a German man-of-war, the “ Arcona ,, 5 visited Maskat, Lingah,
re P° rt ; s . have leached us of the likely appearance, at no
distant date, of a German line of merchant steamers in the Gulf.
p .11* ^ While we regard these symptoms of increasing German interest in the
eisum ljult as emphasising the international aspect which the Persian question
appears more and more destined to assume, and therefore as adding to the
complexities of an already sufficiently difficult situation, we do not question
me bom pie commercial enterprise which is carrying German trade there, as to
so many other open seas and ports in the world, and we can conceive that we
evei } ^ n< b ia the existence of German political interests, an occasional ally or
sa eguard tor our own. German interests, however, have a tendency to grow
wi, i some rapidity, and hy steps which are not always acceptable to their
neighbours: and we think that the need for an early decision upon the future
po icy to be adopted by Her Majesty’s Government is not diminished, but is
enhanced, by the appearance of so active a competitor upon the scene.
45. Apart from the recurrent svmptoms of activity on the southern and
western shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , with which Her Majesty’s Government are
annliar, the Turkish Government have also in recent years displayed an increas-
ing interest in its political fortunes. A determined attempt has been made to
ortily the shadowy pretensions of the Ottoman Porte to suzerainty over Koweit.
A lurkish title has been conferred upon the Sheikh; and forces have more
than once been assembled at Basrah for a contemplated expedition against that
place. Intrigues are constantly in progress at Bahrein. During 1898 and 1899 a
lurkish corvette has been a frequent visitor at Lingah, where, the Sheikh
being of Arab descent, Turkish interests are supposed to exist. Finally, the
decisions of the Venice Conference and the proceedings of the Sanitary Board at
Constantinople have enabled Turkey to claim an interest in the navigation of
those waters, of which she has not been slow to take advantage.
4G. The only other recent evidences of foreign intervention in the Persian
Gulf, of which we are cognisant, are a concession for the pearl-fisheries in that
sea, which was given in 1898 by the Persian Government to a Spaniard and a
Belgian, under Russian auspices; and the contemplated appearance at the
Gulf ports of customs officers of Belgian nationality, similar to those who
have already been placed in charge of the customs houses at Kermanshah and
Tabriz, and whose influence, said to be omnipotent at the present moment with
the Sadr Azam, is known to be entirely enlisted on the side of France and
Russia.
CjK *V ..O •' ■ > * *. j '4.C.
47.. We have gathered together these symptoms of external, and notably
of Russian or of Russophil, interest in Southern Persia and in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
not because we desire to invest them individually with an importance to which
they are not entitled, but because collectively they indicate, in a manner that is
not open to misinterpretation, the policy and ambitions of foreign Powers, and
because we desire to impress upon Her Majesty’s Government the fact that in
an area, by land and by sea, which Great Britain regards with good reason as
falling within her sphere of influence, that influence is being directly and
increasingly challenged by other nations, who, in proportion as their foothold
becomes more securely established, will resist any preferential claims, upon what
ever foundation in history or in fact they may rest, and will claim for themselves
an equality of right which in theory it may be difficult to contest.
48. More particularly do these considerations apply to the case of Russia,
whose advance across the deserts that form a natural barrier of division
between Northern and Southern Persia, cannot be regarded with anything but
uneasiness by the Government of India, and the appearance of whose flag in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. would import a novel element of unrest into a situation that
is at no time without its anxious features. We desire deliberately to say to