‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎523r] (95/112)

92
>/
pressed hard that we should give a secret
written assurance that so long as the
Sheikh and his Arabs followed our advice
we should prohibit a further curtailment
of their rights. Sir A. Hardinge was in
favour of giving some such intimation
both to the Persians and the Arabs, at the
start of the Russo-Pelgian Customs regime
at Mohammerah, as the best security
against any attempts to cajole or bully the
Sheikh into accepting a veiled Russian
Protectorate. Finally an assurance was
given to the Sheikh, which is summarized
in the following :—
Sir A. Hardinge, Tehran to His Excellency
the Viceroy, Calcutta.
Telegram, Vecemler 4, 1902.
*' To-day the following telegram has been sent
to Foreign Office : —
Your telegram No. 3.
Secret E., December 1902, Noe. 120-80, Pro*
ceoding No. 129.
My draft letter to Sheikh, after urging mainte
nance of good relations with Shah's Govern
ment, recapitulates his Agent's enquiries last May
as to our readiness to protect him against only
danger he really feared, viz., attempt by ships of
frreign power, either at war with, or acting as
pretended friend of, Persia, to depose him and
deprive Arabs of their ancient rights ; and my
reply that “ both contingencies were very unlikely ;
but that if either arose, we should, in my belief,
interfere, provided he had acted in accordance with
our advice ; and that our naval power, which was
strongest in Gulf, would be employed to prevent
forcible action against him." I propose now to
add following sentence embodying Your Lord
ship's own words : “ I stated, however, that I
should have to refer these questions to the
Foreign Minister of the British Government ; and
he has now authorised me to say that we shall
protect Mohammerah against naval attack, by a
foreign power, whatever pretext for such attack
may be alleged ; and also, so long as you remain
faithful to the Shah and act in accordance with
our advice, will continue to give you our good
offices and support."
I spoke to the Grand Vizier on the subject
last Monday. He made no remarks worth tele
graphing, but I think my words had good effect.
3. Prom the following despatch it is
clear that Sir A. Hardinge verbally ex
plained to the Grand Vizier the full scope
of the promise which he had given to the
Sheikh, and the reasons which had led
to such action being taken :—
Sir A. Hardinge to the Marquis or
Lansdowne.
Tehran, December 0, 1902.
Secret E., June 1908, Noe. 337-356, Proceeding [Extract.)
No. 840.
(No. 167.)
“ I spoke to the Grand Vizier on the first
instant about Mohammerah and referred to the