'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.' [‎62v] (129/136)

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maintenance of British interests in the dominions of the Shah—that we should
esteem it a favour if we may, on such occasions as these, he presented officially
with a copy of any papers of the above description which it may be thought
desirable that we should see. Indeed, inasmuch as the defence of Persia is an
Indian equally with a British interest, and since, if active measures were ever
required for the protection of British interests in that country, Indian
assistance would almost certainly he invoked—we venture to think that it
would he a most legitimate and desirable measure of co-ordination if the
Government of India were as a general rule to he taken into the confidence of
the Home Government, and were to be made acquainted with such discussions
or proposals as may from time to time take place on this important question.
In the remaining paragraphs of the same despatch Sir A. Hardinge
proceeded to state his own views on the subject of a possible partition of
Persia into spheres of influence between Eussia and Great Britain. This is a
matter which we discussed at length with His Majesty’s Government as long
ago as in our despatch*of 21st September 1899, and we are not aware of any
thing in subsequent events to lead us to modify the views to which we then
gave utterance. More recently, in reply* - to a telegraphic request from Lord
George Hamilton, dated 3rd September 1903, in which he invited the opinion of
the Government of India upon the action to he taken for the defence of British
interests in Persia in the event of Eussian encroachment or occupation in the
north, we addressed you at some length in our despatclfbf 4th February 1904,
clearly indicating the precise lines of action that we should recommend in
the contingencies contemplated by His Majesty’s Government. We concluded
by expressing a hope that our views might meet with your general acceptance.
To this despatch we have not yet received any reply: and we are un
aware, whether or to what extent His Majesty’s Government may at a later
date have resumed the discussion, or arrived at definite conclusions upon it.
We should he grateful for any information that you may see fit to give
us on the matter. The question of British policy in Persia, even if at times it
may slumber, is one of such vital moment to ourselves, and is so certain in the
future to assume a much more prominent place on the field of Asiatic politics
than it has yet done, that we feel that it should never for long be absent from
our consideration,. but that each successive phase or development of it should
be made the subject of our anxious scrutiny. Though the checks which have
recently been experienced by Eussia in her policy of Asiatic expansion may
be thought to have lessened the chances of an active programme of political
or territorial advance in Persia, we can feel by no means certain that they may
not have the opposite effect; while in the growing weakness and incapacity
of the central Persian authority it is difficult not to observe the evidences
of a disintegration that may at any time culminate in serious anarchy or
disaster.
In these circumstances, we should be glad either to receive a reply at
your convenience to our former despatch or to be favoured with any further
information concerning the views of His Majesty’s Government which you may
prepared to place before us. Should any decisions of importance on the
ssa