'Report on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts for the year 1897-98 and on the Development of The Quetta-Seistan [Sistan] Trade Route' [‎17v] (34/148)

30
many factors in our favour, we shouJd not experience much difficulty* in doinr
so. No one can doubt that the position which Russia has acquired in Khorasaf
is fraught with da nger to the peace of Afghanistan, and thereby of the Indian
empire. How much more serious will that position become if Russia acquired
a point d’appui in Seistan ? Seistan is the granary of South-Eastern Persia • from
Seistan, she can command the Helmand valley route to Kandahar ; she can keen
Afghanistan t m a continued state of irritation ; she can completely strangle all
Indian trade; and when it best pleases her she can aim a deadly blow at
empire, without possibility of reprisal, while at the same time she can efficient
ly guard the road which she intends to build to link up her Central Asian
railway system with a port to be acquired on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
16 .
we nave tnus tour good and valid reasons for appointing Aleuts to
K’Btjfnd ^ :- nS UP Q uet;ta 'Koh-i-MaIik-Siali-Meshpd ddk with
(“)
lo keep ns fully posted in Russian intrigues on the Perso-
irentier and to counteract them.
Afghan
15. The
have already
would Russia
studied Russi;
question in t
contrary. Th
is only 90 mil
garrisoned by
acquired, or t(
not consonan
Russian influe
prove but a m
where, as it is
position in Sei:
ed by a road o
than measurab
V'J
,< S ; XT , , more especially those relatino- to the
. tcly opened Nushki-Serstan caravan route, and prevent ^Russian
agents carrying on further obstructive measures.
w rVfSii 1 ”™ 1 «•
tingency by no means unlikely. a Upted_a con -
alannodj, and every move “leSTsh^TcSM'^lef 15 HSS - ia •* Serious, . v
^rme^dt^^rthf^-.' r ti,ne c
the direction of South-Eastern Persia Ii!'°n IL ‘ iat : 18 iuiure to prevail in
Nushki-Meshed caravan route with all th'Z T™?’ ‘ !‘. ,Vil P ecL ° of the
Which the existence of such a route would Lfford dl ? 1 ln ' hl '7 t ' adva "<age.s
adoption^ of the measures which I have euumerated^bove. aUS ° lutely 011 tlj «
t H. H the Amir, addressinp' fT r tt* ,
» tar d t. “‘ h i *£• -j-sion t „ th.
+ “ BRITISH INDIA.
Pe^n fronts,
into the very centre of the Iran tableland T an road for the m ^ement
road are unanimous iu asserting that the F^hshT (Persian ) merchants who have latpl EngI j^ g 00(,tk
formerly prevented them making use of thi^ hav ? ^cce.ded in overcominp aluY Iatel /J >assed by that
Bmall town on the east border ofoSmsel in ^ India > ^y that aH AT d i ftcultie8 which
are non stations with two, three and even f, vo b'*'-^*alik Siah, in places before lonl ^ fr ° m ^ u shki, a
near winch are guards protect^ th e tSvans V' d tl,ere ^ch . Jils als^ k” aS Waterle «^ there
the English a great deal of mo^ev L? hl« ? aI 1 ach •'"bbers. The making f heU 7 be " the Nation.,
Pem * and e '' eu “> Khorimn, where itt k™wn t hf' R, ' lem "“^Wv nea^ufth"^/, h »» ooat
, “Mow i mp3rtont i8 the po|itica| mm , , °'' n ‘ a ‘ RUSS »" have had the’ "f
X T ^ rower, auhoarh
therc ? aw this - -- *hi„k
K^^n^rerted t oS—the Rreaent can halted new t V c
16. That
visionary dang(
equipped at St.
latest reports fr
Russian officers
Note.—I d
situation than b
Persia, which ei
“ Russia, se
territory which i
the Zulfikar pas:
boundary. The
influence or assa
with a part of Bi
separated by onl
Finally, having i
her railways onc<
herself upon a pc
southern seas. ”
*
“ An indepen
place (Seistan), u
it of great import*
by scientific irriga
influence radiating
balancing Russian