'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.' [‎44v] (93/136)

the Russian Foreign Minister, concerning the respective parts that should he
played by Great Brit .in and Russia in the future maintenance and development
of the Persian Kingdom.
2. On the present occasion we address Your Lordship nith another
though correlative object. The determination of the attitude which is to be
adopted bv the British Government in view of the conditions which we have
described,'while to a large extent dependent upon declarations or pledges already
made, and upon the traditional history of British policy in those regions, must
also be greatly affected by a consideration of the practical effect likely to be
produced upon British interests in the future by a continuance of, or an abrupt
departure from, those traditions. We take it to have been a commonplace of
British statesmanship throughout the past century that in Southern Persia and
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. British influence should remain supreme ; and that, while at no
time could the commercial competition of other Powers be reasonably resented,
or legitimately opposed, yet the creation of rival political^ interests in that
quarter could not be permitted, without seriously compromising the interests of
India and therefore of Great Britain. We know of no Indian Administration
and of no responsible British statesmen, who have not subscribed to these views.
More recently we have observed indications of a willingness in some quarters
to recede from this attitude, and to argue that the political _ predominance
which has been acquired by Great Britain in the regions in question, at so great
an expenditure of energy and treasure, may with impunity be challenged by
others, and can safelv be shared with them, and that no menace need ensue to
British interests from the construction, for instance, of a Russian railway to the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. or the acquisition by that Power of a port and naval station upon
its coast-line. Upon this subject we conceive that no one has so strong a right
to speak as the Government of India, seeing that it is Indian interests that are
directly involved: and we are confident that in any decision that may be
taken by His Majesty’s Government, due weight will be attached to this plea.
3. We have, therefore, decided to send to Your Lordship, for communi
cation to His Majesty’s Government, in such manner as you may deem desirable,
a Minute on this aspect of the case which has been written by His Excellency
the Viceroy, and with which we desire to record our complete agreement. We
endorse the view expounded by him that, while there is no objection to the grant
ing of such commercial access to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , by Persian railways or other
wise, to Russia or to any other foreign Power, as their own mercantile necessities
or the expanding requirements of Persia may demand, the acquisition of
political interests or rights by the Russian Government in those quarters would
be fraught with positive danger to the security of the Indian Empire; and we
hope that any such idea or proposal may continue in the future, as it has done
in the j>ast, to meet with the strenuous opposition of His Majesty’s Government.
We have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient, humble servants,
(Signed) CURZON.
„ A. P. PALMER.
„ T. RALEIGH.
„ E. F.-G. LAW.
„ E. R. ELLES.
„ A. T. ARUNDEL.
WB I . - -n , |-,|