File 3939/1926 Pt 5 'Revision of Aitchison's Treaties: Persia, Seistan, Kerman and Persian Baluchistan' [‎29r] (51/558)

PERSIA.
11
to be followed for the protection of merchants in cases of bankruptcy
and insolvency. -si a • * i
In 1842 Persia concluded a “ perpetual ” treaty wrth Spam*, under
Whil Spanish subjects were granted certain extra-terrrtonal prrvdeges.
In 1844 a convention t was signed between Russia and Persia, ex-
nlaitiinir the 14th article of the Treaty of Turkmancha. and decreeing
tlat the subjects of either State crossing the frontier into the territory
of the other must be provided with passports.
In 1845 French merchandise was put on most favoured nation footang^
In 1847 a commercial treaty with France was signed, but in 1849 the
Persian Government formally refused to ratify it.
In 1847 the Persian and Turkish Governments entered into Articles
of Agreement, confirming the Treaty of Eraerum (Appendix No. \ I)
and undertaking to appoint Commissioners to demarcate the boundary.
Muhammad Shah died in 1848 and was succeeded by his eldest son
Nasir-ud-Din. .
In 1848 a Russian hospital for the use of Russians employed m
checkins the marauding Turkmans was established by a Royal Farman
at Bandar Gez on the Persian mainland in the province of Astaraba .
In the same year the British Government, who were making strenuous
exertions to suppress the traffic in African slaves, secured an Engage-
'ment (No. XV) from the Shah to prohibit the import of slaves into
Persia by sea. So great was the opposition of the priests to the abolition
'of the slave traffic, that the Shah did not feel himself strong enough to
prohibit the import of slaves into his dominions absolutely; but as t le
route by land was not practicable, he virtually did so by forbidding
import by sea. In 1851 a Convention (No. XVI) was concluded for the
search and seizure of Persian vessels suspected of being engaged in the
slave trade.
Yar Muhammad Khan of Herat died in 1851, and was succeeded by
his son Saiyid Muhammad Khan. Feeling himself insecure m power
and threatened by the Amir of Kbul and by Kohandil Khan from
Kandahar, Saiyid Muhammad Khaf made overtures to Persia: and a
force was despatched hy the Shah nominally to reduce.the Turkmans but
in reality to occupy Herat. The British Envoy at Tehran remonstrated
and required from the Persian Government explicit assurances ol the
course they meant to adopt. In January 1853 the Persian Government
signed an Agreement (No. XVII) not to send troops to Herat unless it
should be attacked by a foreign force, and not to interfere further in i a
* Appendix No. VIII.
t Appendix No. IX.
J; Appendix No. X.