'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.' [‎51r] (106/386)

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7 The despatch next went on to show how the commanding position acquired
by Russia in Khorasan, owing to the proximity of the Trans-Caspian railway
and of her Central Asian garrisons, the construction of the AsliKabad-Kuchan*
Meshed cart-road and the annual expenditure of large sums of ^ney, were being
utilized for a further and more southerly advance which threatened the British
position in Southern Persia generally. The Russification of Khorasan began in
1889 with the appointment of a Consul-General at Meshed, which was followed
by the employment of Native Agents Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. at Birjand, Tabbas, Neh, Kliaf, Turhat-i-
Haidari and Seistan and of Russian Armenians to survey the country as tar as the
borders of Persia and Baluchistan. In 1895 a direct blow at the large Anglo-Indian
trade which at that time still made its way through Khorasan into the Russian
possessions in Central Asia, was struck by the introduction of a customs tanti m
Trans-Caspia, absolutely prohibiting the entry of all British or Indian pro-
ducts except indigo, tea and muslin, and these only under a heavy duty. In
the same year M. Zaroudny, a Russian politico-geologist (Anghce, surveyor),
paid his first visit to Kain and Seistan.
8. In the meantime, in the latter part of 1896, the Government of India
decided to open up the trading route from Quetta to Seistan. tins intention
indicative of prospective British interests in Seistan excited the alarm of Russia,
who welcomed the opportunity afforded by the outbreak of plague m the follow-
ing year in India to strangle the new enterprise in its birth and to increase her
own influence in Seistan by establishing a protective cordon. On the pretext
of safeguarding the Perso-Afghan frontier from a disease, which existed
neither in Afghanistan nor Baluchistan, but m reality with the object of
diverting Afghan trade from Meshed to Panjdeh and Mew m Russian territory,
Russian 0 Cossacks under Russian officers were stationed at various points
in Persia, where they turned hack every caravan, and for a time closed the
Herat-Meshed road, in spite of orders to the contrary from the iersia -
ernment who, after a feeble protest, acquiesced iu these proceedings, with the
result that for a time Southern Khorasan almost passed under Russian eont ol.
9 In order to anticipate similar Russian intervention in_ Seistan, the
Government of India despatched Surgeon-Major Brazier Creagh in the spring
of 1897 to superintend any preventive measures that might be required m t
district and he, like Lieutenant Webb Ware, who had visited Seistan m Mai ch,
reported on the ascendancy gained by Russia throughout Seistan and all along
the Perso-Afghan frontier up to Meshed. #
10 The recommendations made by the British medical officer were ignored y
the Persian authorities, lie had not been long in Seistan when a Russian doctor
with an escort of eight Cossacks appeared upon tlie scene, a
Cossacks under a Russian officer being also posted at Turbat-i-Haidan, 8) m
south of Meshed a point of junction of several caravan roads, so as effectually
to Stop any traffic to or from Seistan. It was then given out that a Russian
w-k; to he aunointed Consul in Seistan, an announcement which was immediately
foUowedVyTe deTpateh ol Captain Sykes, hitherto British Consul at Kerman,
to Seistan in a similar capacity. , . . . ....
11. Meanwhile, in 1893, M. Zaroudny* reappeared and pushed his politico-
scientific studies as far south as Persian Baluchistan and Barnpur.
12 The recrudescence of plague in India provided in 1899 an excuse for
thee^ntinumme of: 2« M i.ltLsian protectorate in Southern Khor^n and
two Russian officers, one doctor and ten Cossacks were still at lurbat-i Raidai ,
and one Russian officer, two medical assistants and ten Cossacks at Karez, while
fiS^Persian sowars, paidhy, and taking .orders from, Ru— officers wem scat-
tered about between Meshed and Seistan. A Russian agent with presents
valued at £1 400 was sent to the Persian Governor of Kain, who was brothel to
1,1 Gove, -for of Seistan and was believed to covet the
The sanitary plea was also advanced in the coiuse of 1
despatch of Russian doctors to Kerman and even to Shiraz. .
13 Tw r o propositions were established by these lacts . fiis y, *a ussia
regarded witl^unconcealed aversion the opening of th e British commercial rout e
. .This RentlomaD .ith, tW
scientific researches, which included the caretui surv y, - 9