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'PRINCIPAL DESPATCHES AND CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO PERSIA CONNECTED WITH THE SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND MEASURES OF VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDDLESTON IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. JANUARY 1899 TO NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV-PART IV. PERSIA.' [‎16v] (37/136)

The record is made up of 1 volume (64 folios). It was created in 1908. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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The second objection which may he urged is that our action would he
resented hy the Russians and will lead to countermoves on their part. I fully
recognise the force of this ohjection. No one can have realised more clearly
thaif I have done the inexpediency of provoking Russia hy an appearance
of overactivity. I have repeatedly impressed this view upon our officers in
Persia, and my memorandum of 1895 and later despatches, notahly of August
14th, 1896, show how constantly the idea has been present in my mind. Nothing
can he more foolish than fussy demonstrations, or attempts to gain small
successes at the expense of the Russians; and except when active measures are
necessarv for the maintenance of our material mteiests, I would never adi/ocate
them. I have throughout recognised that our proper course in this country is
to stand on the defensive and to avoid striking at the Russians, or performing
any risky evolutions which might tempt them to fall upon us. But at the
same time it seems to me that there must he limits to our caution in these
respects, and that, if we are to maintain our position in Persia, we must he prepared
to face a certain amount of displeasure on the part of the Russians. As I have
shown in this despatch they do not remain inactive because we do so. Our absten
tion, at the instance of the Government of India, from interference in Seistan, has
not prevented them from pushing down to the Afghan frontier and trying to
strangle our Indian trade, or from endeavouring with some success to establish
their trade and influence in Seistan itself. Our studious friendliness in Tehran,
though pleasantly reciprocated, does not prevent them from doing all they can
to injure our Bank, the Russian “ Banque des Prets ” getting up runs upon
if, and even the Russian Legation refusing its notes. Nor has our friendly
attitude prevented them from establishing a Consulate in Ispahan, or pushing
on the construction of the Resht road. Whether we remain quiet or not the
Russians, very properly, go on working for their own hand, and unless we make
an effort sooner or later we shall find ourselves being quietly elbowed out of
one position after another. If we do not make the effort now, w r e certainly
may provoke them to increased activity, but it may have a contrary effect, and
in any case I believe that, if we keep strictly within our rights, and make no
unnecessary demonstrations, we have no need to be afraid of what they can do.
They ought not to be able to meet us on equal terms in our zone. Every
Persian believes that sooner or later the country will be divided between
England and Russia, and the Southerner, from the Zil-es-Sultan downwards,
looks to coming under the rule of England. In a loosely knit country like
Persia, the weak central Government cannot easily override local influence.
In this respect it is fortunate for us that the "Persians have fixed their
capital so far north as Tehran. Even in Tehran, moreover, the influence
of the Russians has its limits. Their geographical position makes them
a threatening power in the north, and as most of the Government officials
at Tehran are Northerners, with property and interests in the north, the
influence of the Russians in Tehran is no noubt considerable. The northern
official thinks it wise to keep on good terms with his future masters. But it
must be remembered that the Persian lives from day to dav, and thinks the
country will probably last his time, and being inordinately conceited, not to
say arrogant, the Persians are far from liking the Russians, whose overbearing
ways they find it hard to endure. Altogether the Russians are not omnipo
tent in Tehran, on the contrary, although the Persian Government is very
much afraid of them, it still opposes to them a steady passive resistance about
which they complain very bitterly. I he Shah and his advisers, who believe
that we shall take the south, only if Russia takes the north, will go as far as
they dare in helping us to resist Russian encroachment, and if we show that
we are m earnest, I think they will go a long way. It must not be thought
that they are entirely under Prussian domination. They are not. Therefore
m my opinion we should, make up our minds that the time has now come for
us to lay down a definite line of policy in Persia, and that for the future we
must adhere to if, without too much regard for any displeasure which we may
thereby cause to the Prussians. ^
20
foreign Office Press— Xo. 818—10-8-99—60.

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Content

Published by Superintendent Government Printing, India, Calcutta.

The volume consists of a draft Part IV to the Summary of the Principal Events and Measures of the Viceroyalty of His Excellency Lord Curzon of Keddleston, Viceroy and Governor-General of India in the Foreign Department. I. January 1899-April 1904. II. December 1904-November 1905. Volume IV. Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Parts I-III), published by GC [Government Central] Press, Simla, 1907 [Mss Eur F111/531-534].

The volume includes a letter from the Foreign Department, Government of India, to Lord Curzon, dated 27 August 1908, stating that an examination of their records had shown that these were the essential despatches, and hoping that the volume would answer Lord Curzon's purpose.

The despatches and correspondence cover the period 1899-1905, and include correspondence from the Secretary of State for India, and HBM's Minister at Tehran, and cover the question of the appointment of an additional consular officer in Persia, 1899 (with map); relations between Britain and Persia; the protection of British interests in Persia; British policy on Persia; the political and financial situation in Persia; and the threat of Russian encroachment.

Extent and format
1 volume (64 folios)
Arrangement

The despatches and correspondence are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume. There is a list of contents on folio 6, giving details of name and date of paper, subject, and page number.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 66; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the volume also contains an original manuscript pagination sequence.

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'PRINCIPAL DESPATCHES AND CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO PERSIA CONNECTED WITH THE SUMMARY OF EVENTS AND MEASURES OF VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDDLESTON IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. JANUARY 1899 TO NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV-PART IV. PERSIA.' [‎16v] (37/136), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/535, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100083163671.0x000026> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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