File 1323/1916 Pt 1 ‘Baluchistan:- Disturbed conditions on the Anglo-Persian border. Future administration of Mekran, Sarhad & the Kalat States’ [‎102r] (201/896)

Enclo. to Serial No. 8 ,
Telegram No. 3. dated -itb January 1924.
From—His Majesty's Minister, Tehran,
To—The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The advance of the Persians towards Khwash is likely to begin soon and
it will involve the withdrawal of British detachments from that place and
Duzdap which Government of India themselves are anxious to effect before
the current financial year closes. Kailway will then be practically in physical
control of Persians and will thus modify the present position.
Decision as regards disposal of railway should I think he taken and acted
upon in good time before our troops are withdrawn. This refers to the last
paragraph of your despatch* No. 466.
9
{Received on 24th February 1924 with Political Secretary's letter No. d, dated
the 7th February 1924.)
P. 201.
India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
Whitehall,
London S. W. 1.
2nd February, 1924.
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary of State for India to acknowledge the
receipt of your letters of 31st December and 10 th January, Nos, E. 11990—
207—34f and JE. 140—1—34 regarding the future of the Nushki-Duzdap
Kail way.
2. Sir Sydney Olivier regrets to learn that the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs did not concur "in the view expressed in the last seven para
graphs of my letter of December 19th, but he thinks that the apparent diver
gence of opinion may arise from a misapprehension of the case which it was
intended to present, which may perhaps have been formulated in a too closely
summarised manner.
3. Sir Sydney Olivier entirely agrees that it would be “ highly unfair to
offer to present a section of railway line to the Persian Government if the
main line serving it is likely to be dismantled atid if that probability were
not disclosed. He would go further; for lie holds that it would he unfair to
offer that line, in any circumstances, to Persia without disclosing the fact that,
so far from being a gift of immediate value, it appears likely for the present
to involve the recipient in a recurrent net loss which may be estimated pro-
visionallv havinsr regard to the known loss on the Nushki’Mirjawa line and
the respective lengths of this and the Mirjawa-Duzdap line at Rs 60,000 per
annum at least. (The Government of India are being asked by telegram§ for
precise information on this point.) Sir Sydney Olivier even doubts the entire
fairness, having regard to the assumption on which the Persian Government
are evidently working, of allowing them to continue to spend their energy and
monev in establishing order in Persian Baluchistan _ while they are kept m
ignorance of the fact that the Nushki-Duzdap Railway is, and may continue
to be so far from profitable that its dismantlement must seriously be contem
plated HiB own suggestion is that if the Government of India, to whom the
substance of the Treasury’s letter S. 19713 of 21 th January is being communi
cated by telegraph, accept the stipulations there made a nd so dispose of t he
” ~ *Seri.il No. 129 in File No. 70 (IV) M.
f Serial No. 302.
J Serial No. 302-A.
§ Copy enclosed No. 165, dated 16th January 1924.