‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎529v] (108/112)

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Sm C. Scott to tub Marquis of Salisbury.
No. 21 .
(Telegraphic.)
S/. Petersburg, 21st February 1900.
“ Your telegram No. 16.
“ I am positively assured by Count Mouravieff
that Russian Government has not the slightest
desire or int-ntion to acquire any coaling or other
itation at Bundar Abbas or elsewhere in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and that Commander of Russian
gunboat sent there received the most positive
instructions in this sense, and distinct orders not
to entertain any such idea.”
3. In liis despatch* of 0th January 1902,
in which the salient features of British
policy towards Persia were recapitulated,
Lord Lansdowne wrote as follows :—
"The Persian Government should therefore dis
tinctly understand and bear in mind that Great
Britain could not consent to the acquisition by
Russia of a military or naval station in the Persian
Gulf, for the reason that such a station must be
regarded as a challenge to Great Britain and a
menace to her Indian Empire.
" If the Persian Government were at any time
to make such a concession to Russia, it would be
necessary for His Majesty’s Government to take
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. such measures as they might
consider necessary for the protection of British
interest: measures which, in view of their naval
strength in those waters, would be attended with
no serious difficulty.”
The Shah’s reply declared that his Gov
ernment would never come to an under
standing with any foreign power against
Great Britain, and did not intend alienat
ing any portion of Persian territory to a
foreign power for a military station.
4. On 5th May 1903 the Marquis of
Lansdowne in the House of Lords said :—
“ The noble lord asked me for a statement of
our policy with regard to the Persiau Gulf. I
think lean give him one in a few simple -words.
It seems to me that our policy should be directed,
in the hist place, to protect and promote British
trade in tnose waters. In the next place, I do not
think that he suggests, or that we should suggest,
that those efforts should be directed towards the
exclusion of the legitimate trade of other powers.
(Hear, hear.) In the third place—I say it with
out hesitation—we should regard the establish
ment of a naval base or of a fortified port in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. by any other power as a very grave
menace to British interests, and we should certain
ly resist it with all the means at our disposal.
(Cheers.) I say that in no minatory spirit, be
cause, so far as I am aware, no proposals are on
foot for the establishment of a foreign naval base
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . ”
With reference to the above speech the
following conversationf took place on 6th fQuoted** txUnto page 89.
May 1903 between Lord Lansdowne and
the Russian Ambassador, in which the
latter said that Russia had no idea of
Secret E. ( Jan# 1900, No*. 113 214., Proceeding
No. 160.
1902.
*See pages 84-86,
See pnga 18.
1903.