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‘Confidential. Persia’ [483r] (15/112)
The record is made up of 1 file (56 folios). It was created in c 1904. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
In reporting his action to the Marquis of
Salisbury, Sir H. D. Wolff referred to this
assurance as “authorized by Your Lord
ship’s telegram No. 78, ,, but search in
our records has failed to discover the
telegram in question, and no other men
tion of the assurance is traceable in any
despatch from Her Majesty’s Government.
The assurance, however, was again re
ferred to in 1890 in the following Memo
randum which was given by Sir H. D.
Wolff to the Grand Vizier to strengthen
his hands in the matter of a Eailway in
Khorasan, which the Itussians were at
that time proposing.
Accompaniment to Sir II. I). Wolff’s Despatch No.
249, dated 271h July 1890.
Memorandum by Sir H. Drummond Wolff,
G.C.M G., K.C.B., Her Majesty’s Minister,
Tehran.
“ In the event of Russia attempting to force upon
Persia a railway in Khorassan, it must be remem
bered that any line made by Russia in that province
is one which would give to her an overwhelming
strategical position menacing to the authority of
the Shah throughout his dominions. It is there
fore not one of mutual advantage, and His Majesty
is prevented from granting it by the terms of his
engagement to Russia.
“In case any threat or strong language is used
by Russia on this account, it would be advisable for
the Shah to answer that as Kngland and Russia
have jointly assured the integrity and independence
of Persia, His Majesty thinks that on a question
of such importance both Governments should be
consulted.
“ Her Majesty’s Ambassador at St. Petersburg
is of opinion that if Russian pressure is firmly but
courteously resisted, such an attitude will be suc
cessful. The Shah can always rely on the fidelity
of Her Majesty’s Government to their engage
ments, more especially to those given on the 24th
October 1888, which 1 am authorized, if necessary,
to renew.”
10. The agreement relating to the integ
rity of Persia was again mentioned between
England and Russia in 1901, when Count
Lamsdorff pronounced himself to be ready
then or at any time to subscribe to it.
The circumstances in which the discussion
arose are explained by the following tele
graphic correspondence:—
The Marquis of Lansdowne to the Hon’ble
Mr. C. Hardinge.
Foreign Office, 28lh October 1901.
(No. 173.)
Telegraphic.
“ His Majesty’s Government have learnt upon
good authority that the Persian Government, who
are in urgent need of financial assistance, are
endeavouring to obtain a further loan from Russia.
In the opinion of His Majesty’s Government, it if
preferable that they should discuss the situation
frankly with the Russian,Government, rather than
that the two countries should carry on independent
About this item
- Content
This part consists of a printed summary of British policy regarding Persia, from 1834 to 1904, featuring extracts from Foreign Office correspondence. Also included are extracts from speeches given in the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs respectively, as published in The Times .
The summary is divided into sections. The contents page includes an introductory statement and a table of contents, which lists the sections as follows:
(1) The integrity of Persia
(2) Railways, tramways, roads, telegraphs in Southern Persia
(3) The customs of Southern Persia
(4) Seistan
(5) British interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
(6) The Sheikh of Mohammerah
(7) The new Persian tariff
(8) The acquisition by Russia of a Naval Station on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
There is a handwritten note on the front of the document which states ‘This is not final copy’.
Notable correspondents include the following: the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the British Minister at Tehran (Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, succeeded by Arthur Henry Hardinge); HM Chargé d'Affaires to Tehran (Robert Charles Kennedy; Cecil Arthur Spring Rice); HM Ambassador to Russia, St Petersburg (Sir Charles Stewart Scott); the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs (Count Karl Robert Nesselrode); the Shah of Persia, Nassir-ud-Din (Nasser Al-Din Shah Qajar); the Mushir-ed-Dowleh of Persia (Prime Minister to the Shah); the Russian Ambassador to London (Count Alexander Konstantinovich Benckendorff).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (56 folios)
- Arrangement
The document is paginated and in page number order, and is arranged into sections on particular subjects.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/359/2
- Title
- ‘Confidential. Persia’
- Pages
- 476r:484v, 487v, 489r, 490v, 492r, 493r:494v, 495v:496r, 497r, 498r, 499r:501v, 502v:503r, 504v:505v, 507r:509v, 511r:514v, 515v:518r, 519v:520r, 522r:524r, 525r:527r, 528r:531v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence