'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎112v] (229/386)

120
Government of India hoped that the Persian Government might he willino* < 0
replace an agreement, which was both impracticable and unsound, by one that
was framed in the common interest of both parties, and they would be "] a( j
to depute one of their local officers to meet a Persian representative.
80. The substance of this description of the situation and of the suggested
demarcation was telegraphed from India to the Secretary of State, and at the
same time a protest was made against the Russian Consul touring about and
stirring up political trouble on the Baluchistan frontier.
In March 1902, His Majesty’s Government decided that, as the British
post was on the right bank of the Talab.it was primd facie on the Persian side of
the frontier, and that it would be best to withdraw it at once without awaitino-
the result of negotiation. Steps to effect this had already been taken by the
Government of India, and on 3rd April 1902, Captain Webb Ware knocked
down the post, and withdrew his levies from Padaha to the other side of the
river. The incident, however, was by no means terminated. The importance
which the Russian Government attached to Mirjawa and the Perso-Baluch
boundary had already been made evident, and in Pebruary 1902, the Russian
Legation at Tehran put pressure upon the Persian Government to protest in
London against the occupation of Mirjawa and the intended occupation, as they
averred, of Duzdap and Ladis, informing them that if they allowed us to occupy
Mirjawa, or to rectify to our advantage the frontier as shown on the maps
attached to the Holdich Protocol, the Russian Government would insist upon
a corresponding rectification of the boundary and cession of territory in Northern
Khorasan. The Persian Government yielded to this pressure, but without
waiting for their protest to be lodged by the Shah’s representative the
Russian Charge d*Affaires in London, on 25th Pebruary 1902, presented a note
to Lord Lansdowne, stating that the Russian Government considered the occupa
tion of Mirjawa and the threatened advance to Duzdap and Ladis as a violation
of Persian territory inconsistent with the assurances as to the independence
and integrity of Persia given by the British Government in 1888, and repeated
in 1901, and they felt it to be their duty to support the protests made by the
Persian Government. In reply, Baron de Gravenitz was told that there had
never been any intention of occupying Duzdap and Ladis, and that, as for
Mirjawa, if it were found to be in Persian territory, we should certainly not
remain there. The Marquis of Lansdowne, on 1st April 1902, informed
the Persian Minister in London that Captain Webb Ware’s post would be at
once withdrawn, pending an agreement between the two Governments as
to the exact position of the boundary line. His Majesty’s Government,
however, declined to entertain the demand for the punishment of that officer
and themselves had to complain of the unfriendly proceedings of the Persian
d’A S ff«V S «°^h ia p •f A T lt A erence the communication of the Russian Charge
to'rwt T 6 f^ 18 \ ^ mba f^ dor at st - Petersburg was directed to explain
to Count Lamsdorff what had been temporarily decided about Mirjawa and,
at the same time, to represent the trouble caused by the movements of M.
fronHev^^/t 1 d immediate vicinity of the Baluchistan
’ and top omt out that a state of unrest was thereby created, which
might entail upon the Government of India considerable expenditure in
stationing reinforcements of troops along the border. 1
imnrom-l/ffi'F Ministry of Foreign Affairs combated the alleged
in'Wv stiff-nA „r, it' 1 fP locee ^' n S s aQ( l ended with the following exceed-
mgJy still and unsatisfactory paragraph : —
Government of India should find it necessary to
mattZ , nf rf , e T?? ™ the frontier, such at attitude towards the
that the TiritidZfZ f ^ ^ circumstances, might lead to the conclusion
such a eZeZt tffZ' T 7T,‘ B , the WesGon, had other objects in view; in
corresponding with U^iMertsls” * lmf,enal Government to adopt measures
Sir cfseott 1 comm T" ationSi , ^dressed to Count Lamsdorff by
air o fccott, lead to any change in his attitude on this question.