‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎497v] (44/112)

42
*
in tbo written assurance of October 23rd,
1897, is still wide enough, to include
Mohammerah.
Sir M. Durand replied—
Sir M. Durand to the Marquis op Salisbury. Secret E., July 1899, Noi. 255-375, Proceeding
No. 2G0.
Tehran> 3 lit March 1839.
(No. 18.)
(Telegraphic.)
I communicated to the Sadr Azam personally in
writing substance of Your Lordship's telegram No.
8 of March 21st. He said that he would submit
matter to the Shah. He has now given me the 'V
Shah’s answer, and asks me to transmit it to Your
Lordship. It is as follows :—
“ It is not hidden from Lord Salisbury that
Persia wants a loan. In answer to a question
from Lord Salisbury the Ala-es-Sultaueh replied
that such was the case, and His Lordship knows
better than I do that this is true. We have been
thinking of this matter for several years.
“ Twice or three times I asked for a loan from
another power; the conditions, however, were
hard, and I did not accept the same.
“ Latterly I applied to the Imperial Bank of
Persia. Their offer was inadequate in amount and,
as the conditions were unfavourable, this also I
rejected.
“ You ask to see the terms of the loan I am
now making. This is not possible, as the question
is still under negotiation. However, I now let
you know that I will accept no proposal except the
conditions are more favourable than those the
Imperial Bank of Persia proposed. Further let it %
be known to you that the business will be purely
a financial one. It is not one of politics.
“ Now as regards your resisting any arrange
ment which would tend to place the customs of
Southern Persia in the hands of a foreign power.
u I understand this to m^an that since the pro
ceeds of the customs are pledged as guarantee to
the Kegie Loan you have made this statement. I
now positively state to you that this fact will be
taken into consideration.'^
It is clear that in communicating the
substance of Lord Salisbury’s telegram of
21 st March, Sir M. Durand used the
broader term “ customs of southern
Persia,*’ for this is the phrase which is
repeated by the Shah in his reply—“ Now r
as regards your resisting any arrangement
which would tend to place the customs of
Southern Persia in the hands of a foreign
power,” and the same words are found in
the version of the British Minister’s mes
sage which was telegraphed by the Sadr
Azam to the Persian Minister in London,
as follows :—
No. 1. Hid, No. 259
Telegram from the Sadr-Azam to the Persian
Minister in London.
{Communicated 3ht March 1899.)
“ The night before last the British Minister cam©