Settlement of the Opposing Claims of Persia and Afghanistan to Seistan [‎449r] (45/54)

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™—Secretare/bf StaUf London
—Viceroy, Simla. /
Mecommddee.-Seisl/n arbj4tion. /Goldsmfd will
telegraph tl/t you haveAangXbasis^th 13 Wl11
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Enclosure No- Xt
Telegram dated the 13th October 1871.
From— Colonel Bacon, Calcutta.
To—Foreign Secretary, Simla.
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Enclosure No-
Telegram dated the 22nd October 1871, 4 p, m.
From— Mr. Alison, Teheran.
To—The Viceroy.
, n , ^ ecom mcindee. The Shah is greatly alarmed at the attitude of the
Afghans, and desires that you will stop their advances. He has repeated the
old assurances of accepting our arbitration, but I have said that it would be useless
loi me to convey any assurances on the subject unless they were clearly such,
^ ave no a k s °lute authority over the Afghans. I have sent him a
draft form of acceptance.
Enclosure No-JC-
Telegram dated the 23rd October 1871, 6 p. m.
From —Mr. Alison, Teheran.
To—Viceroy, Simla. — V
. HecommancUe .—After a lengthened discussion the King has accepted our
arbitration in the following terms : When the British, Persian, and Afghan
Commissioners are all assembled together in Seistan, the Persian and the Afghan
Commissioners respectively will state and substantiate their claims. If local
enquiry be necessary, the Commissioners will proceed to any point for that pur
pose, and make a map of any districts without let or hindrance. When the
British Commissioner considers that there is nothing further to be done on the
spot, the Commissioners will then return to Teheran, where the question will
be fully discussed with a view to its settlement, aod the British Commissioner
will also state his arbitral opinion. Should the Persian or Afghan Govern
ment not agree to the arbitral opinion of the British Commissioner, reference
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