‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎499v] (48/112)

46
V
been called to this document by the Per
sian Minister at St. Petersburg.
Accordingly the next day, 12 th De
cember, a copy was furnished him by
the Legation of the 1897 guarantee, on
perusing which the Minister will have
seen that it was the customs of Southern
Persia and not of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. that
were excluded from foreign control. The
Sadr-i-Azam seemed much concerned on
the subject of this guarantee, and said he
would be glad to possess a copy, as neither
His Majesty nor any of the Ministers
appeared to have any knowledge of the Enclosure 2 to Proceeding No. SO in Secret E.,
^ J 0 Juua 1900, Nob. 35-69.
correspondence.
This is the occasion in December 1899
when the Persian Government were re
minded of the 1897 engagement which
is alluded to in the next following tele
gram from the Marquis of Salisbury.
6 . ‘Within two months of the terms of Pecret E„ June 1900, Nos. 35-69, Proceeding No.
the 19C0 loan being published, the Per- G1 *
sian Government were reminded that Her
Majesty’s Government must hold them to
the strict observance of the 1897 agree
ment, the occasion arising in connection
with the proposal to place Mohammerah
nnder the Belgian customs, when Lord
Salisbury telegraphed to Mr. Spring-Bice
to inform the Minister for Foreign Affairs
that no change in the administration of
the customs there should be made without
our consent. The following correspond
ence passed between Lord Salisbury and
Mr. Spring-Bice
The Marquis of Salisbury to Mr. Spring-Rice.
Tehran, 20th March 1900.
(No. 81.)
(Confidential.)
“ Your telegrams 38 and 89.
“ It will be best that you should inform
Minister for Foreign Affairs courteously but dis
tinctly, as a message from me, that in view of our
interest in trade of Mohammerah and in naviga
tion of the Karun, we must insist that there shall
be no change in the administration of the customs
or attempt to interfere forcibly with the position
of the Sheikh without our previous consent.
“ You will remind His Excellency of the written
promise given by Persian Government on 23rd
October 1897 that the customs of Southern Persia
shall never be placed under foreign supervision
and control, and you will state that Her Majesty’s
Government must hold the Persian Government
to the strict observance of this engagement, of
which they were reminded ia December last.
“ Endeavour to ascertain whether the Moham
merah Customs are included by name in the
guarantee of the Russian loan, or whether they
are considered to be included on account of absence
of proviso that they are to be excluded.
“ Report result of your interview by telegraph.
You are authorized to use same language of
Sad r-i-Azam/'
Ibid, Proceeding No, 61,