Settlement and Demarcation of the Frontier between Persia and Baluchistan [‎387r] (9/74)

Eaclosm’s 21 o- 3,
No. 89, dated Gulahek, the 17th July 1871.
From C. Alison, Esq., c. b., Her Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Teheran.
r ^° Hon’ble the Earl of Granville, k. g., &c., &c., &c.
I have the honor to enclose copies of a communication^' which
* i. July 17 . I h ave received from Major-General Goldsmid,
2 17 respecting his further movements, and of my
T ‘ uy ■' reply.f
^1.
October m,
itents.
.
y -
No. 136, dated Gulahek, the 17th July 1871.
From— Major-General F. J. Goldsmid, c. b., on special duty.
To—Her Britannic Majesty's Minister at Teheran.
I have the honor to solicit the good offices of Your Excellency in bringing
about an early commencement of negotiations on the Perso-Khelat boundary
question. It is now just a week since I returned to Teheran in accordance
Hi, Excellency Mr. Aiieon, to M.jor-Gen. ■"'M 1 instructions from the Government of India
erai Goldsmid, of 2nd and 4th May and the telegrams marginally noted, and on
i 87 i, &c., &c. Saturday last Captain Lovett, R. e., arrived with
all office records and maps bearing on the inquiry. The Moonshee sent to me
from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to whom I communicated my readiness
to attend Mirza Saeed Khan so soon as a day and hour could he appointed, has
not appeared since, I think, Wednesday last; and, although I casually learnt
that Mirza Maasum Khan was one march on this side of Kerman weeks ago,
it is clearly unconfirmed at Teheran that he is yet in the vicinity of the capital.
2. I have further to forward, for Your Excellency’s information, copy of a
telegram recently received from the Principal Secretary of State for India,
under the authority conveyed, in which it would be impossible for me to act if
detained at Teheran later than, say, the 10th August, unless indeed the Seistan
question were again postponed this year. Leaving on the 10th August (and I
know not whether there are Caspian steamers available at that peiiod), I could
hardly expect to reach London before the lOtli September. To be at Bundei
Abbas, as purposed, early in November, via Bombay, proceeding thence to Bam
and Seistan, I should require to leave London again almost immediately after
arrival.
8 If it were possible for me to start by the 1st proximo, I could then
only hope for a month in England; but this period would amply serve to enable
me to make all necessary arrangements preparatory to the Seistan Expedition.
Ample time would, moreover, be afforded for nagotiations here ; for 1 see no
reason why fifteen days should not suffice for a matter which, it appears to
me, could he thoroughly discussed and disposed of m so many hours. '
4. If Mirza Maasum Khan was at Kerman on the 7th as inferred by
the Minister of Foreign Affairs,* he might very
* His Excellency Mr Alison’s telegram ^ fc ^ the 17th July, making
June i’87i. ordinary marches and allowing halts. loui
_ n -n that the Persian Commissioner was said to have
srssw? -1 ^
that he left Charbar on the 27th Apid last.
Telegram dated the 29th June 1871.
p rom —The Duke oe Argyll, London.
To— General Goldsmid.
To—G eneral Goldsmid.
, • CG settled, you can, with concurrence of British
When Mekran us ^ me previously to entering on Seistan question
rirnatpr p.ome to Lngianu