Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎151r] (301/442)

1964
1963 Supply (Committee). 10 July 1912 Foreign Office.
vinces in the occupation of Russia; you
have peace and order, whereas in the pro
vinces which are in the British sphere of in
fluence are scenes of disorder and chaos.”
The hon Member for Bradford said
Northern Persia is now quiet and that
good order reigns. I ask, what is the use
of humbugging the people of England by
talking about maintaining the indepen
dence and integrity of Persia when at this
moment Northern Persia is a Russian Pro
vince? It is ruled under the influence of
the Russian agents at Tabriz, who at
once exercise all the functions of govern
ment, proclaim martial law, behead their
enemies, or hang them, even the highest
and most revered officials of religion, and
appoint the Governors and do exactly as
they like; yet we hear talk in this country
about preserving the independence and in
tegrity of Persia. So far as Northern Per
sia is concerned, it is occupied by Russian
troops and ruled by Russian agents, who
do not hesitate to do everything they desire
in order to make the people feel they are
their masters. Therefore, I say it is not
much to boast of that in certain parts of
Northern Persia, though I deny the fact,
that order or peace has been maintained,
that there is a cessation of struggle. There
is no peace when the place is occupied by
12,000 Russians and every conceivable por
tion of the country is occupied by Russian
troops and artillery.
The point I want to press for informa
tion on is this: What about the solemn
undertaking given to the Persian Govern
ment about the ex-Shah ? When the ex-
Shah left Persia last January, under pres
sure I admit from the English Government,
because at that time it was fully intended
to reinstate the ex-Shah as Governor of
Persia, the Persian Government, acting on
the advice of the right hon. Gentleman
opposite, the Foreign Secretary, did every
thing that the Russian Government pressed
upon them to do, and the unfortunate Per
sian Government was humiliated to the
very dust, so much so that the pride and
prestige of that Government were so
humbled in the minds of the Persian people
that the wonder to me is that they are
able to hold up their heads and keep up
the pretence of governing the country at
all. They accepted the terms, and
one thing they stipulated for and
almost begged for was that if they con
sented to renew the pension of the ex-
Shah the Government of England and
Russia would enter into a solemn agree
ment that he would never again be
recognised or allowed to come back. The
British Government did make a declaration
that in no circumstances would they again
recognise the ex-Shah as Sovereign of
Persia, but the Russian Government made
no such declaration, and after much
pressure declined to do so. But the
British Government made that declaration
and repeated it, and one thing that I
should like very much to hear is whether
the British Government adhered to that
declaration, because I can prove in a few
minutes that the Russian Government has
been for the last three months operating
and manceuvering to bring the ex-Shah
back. I will take one particular instance
out of many. I take the case of Shuja-ed-
Dowleh, who is now acting as Governor of
Tabriz. This man was last December one
of the generals of the ex-Shah threaten
ing Tabriz with a large force. When the
Russian troops took action and beheaded
a number of Nationalists in December last,
the then regular Governor had to apply
for protection to the British Consul, and
Shuja-ed-Dowleh was brought in by the
Russian Government and Consul and
installed as Acting-Inspector. There are
one or two dispatches in this White Paper
in reference to the matter, and I must say
I entirely differ from the Noble Lord who
opened the Debate when he stated that
this White Paper has entirely disposed of
the crisis and shows that the present
policy of Russia is most satisfactory.
I say it shows exactly the reverse, and I
say this White Paper is one of the worst
documents issued in the whole of this long
controversy. Here is a dispatch dealing
with the matter from Sir George Barclay
tc Sir Edward Grey, on the 5th January:
“ I have sent on the following message to His
Majesty’s Consul at Tabriz. As I understand the
situation, Shuja-ed-Dowleh is in rebellion against the
Persian Government, and is not even de facto Governor
of Tabriz. You should, therefore, receive no call
from him.”
And, on the 7th January, Sir Edward
Barclay telegraphed:—
“ I have to-day sent the following telegram to His
Majesty’s Consul:—‘You may receive and return
Shuja-ed-Dowleh’s call, as he appears to be de. facto
Governor, but your relations with him cannot be
official until the Persian Government recognise him as
Governor.”
The next dispatch is to be found on page
96 of the White Paper, on which we find
this extraordinary telegram from Sir
Edward Grey to Sir George Barclay:—
“Is there any prospect in view of our combined
action concerning the ex-Shah, of obtaining the consent
of the Persian Government to the appointment of
Shuja-ed-Dowleh to the post of Governor-General,
and if so, what confidence could they place in his