‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎141v] (287/617)

I should add that in the case of non-Indian Consulates, I have made nO
allowance for travelling charges, as these are quite uncertain. We might
perhaps add about £1,500 a year for this and other minor charges which I need
not mention.
Besides the Diplomatic and Consular establishments, it is to he observed
that we maintain in Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. a considerable Telegraph
Department, with a numerous staff of English clerks. This Department has
been, and to some extent still is, a valuable organisation for political and intelli
gence purposes. The Telegraph clerks can supply much useful information at
times, and in out-of-the-way places they are often called upon to act in some
what responsible situations.
The sketch map appended to this despatch shows the line of telegraph
through -Persia and the Gulf, of these the lines extending from Tehran to
Bushire and the line along the Gulf coasts to Eao, Jask, Charbar and the Kalat
border are maintained by our telegraph staff, and are thoroughly efficient. The
Persian line from Tehran to Meshed is inspected by our Telegraph staff, and the
Government of India give a grant-in-aid of twenty thousand rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a year
towards the cost of maintenance. We have an English clerk at Meshed. This
line works well. The line from Tehran to Julfa in the north-west is in the
hands of the Indo-European Telegraph Company, which has its head-quarters
in London, but it is of no great use to us for political purposes, as it is closely
watched by the Russians. This line is efficient. The rest of the lines shown
on the map are maintained and worked by the Persian Government and are
very inefficient indeed.
We can go on to review as a whole the state of affairs in Persia in 1899,
and to consider what steps we can take to improve our position.
The internal condition of the country, which was bad enough in 1895, is
now in some respects decidedly worse. The Shah, though a more amiable man
than his father, is weak and easily misled ; the Prime Minister has no power,
and cannot control his colleagues or the provincial authorities; the finances are
in complete disorder, and the revenues are coming in very slowly; the troops
are unpaid, and inclined to be mutinous; food is dear all over the country;
and the people are discontented. Meanwhile, the Russians have been actively
pushing their trade and political influence in the north of Persia, and with some
success. They have even succeeded in establishing posts along the Afghan
border, and in making themselves felt in Seistan and Ispahan. On the other
hand, it is as true now as it was in 1895 that the internal condition of Persia
is not hopeless. She has practically no debt, and her resources are great. And
though the influence of Russia is perhaps predominant in Tehran, yet England
has still a strong position throughout the country. The quiet succession the
Shah was regarded as being, and was in fact, a great success for us; and the
Shah s nomination of his eldest son as heir-apparent, though the Russians were
known to favour a younger son, also tended to increase our reputation. In
various respects His Majesty has shown good-will towards us, and a decided
disinclination to put himself under Russian control. In the south of Persia
that is up to a line drawn from Khanikin on the Turkish frontier through
Kermanshah, Hamadan, Ispahan, Yezd and Kerman to Seistan, our trade
and our political influence are paramount, and indeed, so far as Russia is
concerned, almost^ exclusive. Russia has only just begun to touch the fringe
of the zone at Seistan and Ispahan. Neither her Consular establishments nor
her trade extend beyond these points. In the north zone, on the other hand,
although the local influence of the Russians is strong, we have our Consular
establishments right up to the Russian border; and our trade, though it is
suffering from Russian competition, is by no means beaten out of the field.
The southern zone in fact, is very much more in our hands politically and
commercially than the northern zone is in Russian hands. All over Persia a
large part of the telegraph system is worked by us in one form or another
and our bank has established itself in Tabriz and Resht and Meshed!

‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎141v] (287/617)

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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎141v] (287/617)

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