‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎118v] (241/617)

[ 18 ]
12. The Foreign Office letter received with the despatch of the 2nd December 1897,
specially drew attention to the loss suffered by British trade in the regions near Meshed
through Russian competition. The plague and the precautionary measures adopted have, of
course, operated as a check on Indian exports, and the activity which the Russians have
displayed in connection with plague precautions will not be forgotten. On the 22nd January
c T non* XT 1897, Sir Nicholas O'Conor reported from St.
Secret F., June 1897, Nos. 1-77. t>xi i. ir • i. * t i. n
retersburgh— Count Kapmst spoke to me a few
days ago of the fears generally entertained here that the Indian Government was not disposed
to adopt sufficiently stringent regulations to stay the progress of the disease and prevent its
spreading from Bombay to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , as well as to other places' Our Ambassador
forwarded at the same time a precis of an article in the Russian ‘Official Gazette,' dated January
4th-16th, 1897, which contained the following :—
“ In order to obtain timely information respecting the advance of the plague towards
Russian Central Asiatic territories, Medical Officers will be despatched to the ports
of Bender Bushire and Bender Abbas, in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , as also to Kerman and
Yezd in the interior of Persia. None will be sent to Tehran and Meshed, as there
are Russian Doctors already there Similarly no Doctor need be stationed at
Sabzwar in view of the proximity to Meshed."
On the 18th January 1897, four days before Sir Nicholas O'Conor's report. Sir
Secret F., June 1897, Nos. 87-150. Mortimer Durand, in addressing Lord Salis
bury about plague precautions, said—
“ The Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Surgeon himself supervises the quarantine at Bushire, and the Indian
Government has placed under his orders Military Assistant Surgeons for the
ports of Lingah and Bunder Abbas, about which the Russian authorities of Trans-
Caspia have shown such anxiety. Your Lordship is probably aware that caravan
routes run from these ports to the north of Persia, and the Russian authorities have,
I believe, gone so far as to propose the deputation of Russian Doctors not only
to Lingah and Bunder Abbas, but also to Yezd and Kerman. I do not think the
Persian Government intend to accept this proposal."
Two months later (18th March 1897) Mr. Hardinge forwarded a report by the Physician
to the Legation which said—“ The Russian Government have sent Doctors to the followin°'
places : Julfa, Tehran, Meshed, Kerman, Bushire and Bunder Abbas."
In October 1897, our Embassy at Constantinople sent to our Resident at Baghdad, for
Secret E , January 1898, Nos. 144-149. report, a confidential communication from Jeru-
r, i ™ i- salem > whicl1 stated M. Krouglow, a Rus
sian Consular Officer proceeding to Baghdad, had been “instructed to report, on his arrival at
Baghdad, on the much-desired scheme of securmg for Russia a coaling station in the Persian
Gulf though I have not been able to ascertain whether any particular place, outside the Persian
territory, has been fixed upon"
Colonel Loch passed copies of the papers to Colonel Meade at Bushire, and the latter
wrote demi-officially m January 1898, referring to the movements of three Russians two of
whom were doctors who came to Bushire in and after February 1897. Colonel Meade said—
These Russians told Lumsden" (the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Surgeon) “ that they had been deputed bv
thar owa Government to enquire into and study the plague’ Lumsden poTuted outT fhem
that there was not any plague in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and there can, I fancy, be little doubt that
they were also employed in enquiring into political matters in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and that there
is some intention on the part of Russia to get a coaling station here.' In December fsa?
Colonel Loch reported that, from hints he had received it appeared thif RnW f
Koweit. The Secretary of State telegraphed on the 7th February 1898, enquiring whetheTthe
Viceroy had confirmation of this The renlv wn* f I Wm ' cu 9 uiri “ !? wnetner the
Russian designs on Koweit, but Colonel Meade reports that M A8° C °ff re & ard ing
With a Revenue despatch No. 60, dated the 24th March 1898, the Secretary of State
r:-~ r
- »• *■—
ments quarantames dans la Mer Rom™ i- i i Y.Y? ^ eta bhsse-
repondentpasaleurbut.l.. .." t0ttt dans le Golfe Persi q»e ne
“ Yotre Excellence est priee. rio r • j j' ,
aupres de la Sublime Porte en vim’ ’p' ’ ‘ ’ •• de ,. air J e des demarches instantes
taines, comme aussi d’engager notre D^rau^onyrsrpdriem^de’Tr
d insister aupres du dit Conseil pour en nhfonT,. - .. . ou P eri eur de Sante
et decisions’dans l es otablissements^uarantaines^de^^Me^Roucre et^YoMf 8
$S> Par 0U 1 ei " d6 “ e pes “ ,e -o-nt aux Indes pou^itVcLment