'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎298v] (616/1486)

2
This section would require to be reconsidered in parts, for even a steam
tramway, and the difficulties to be overcome for any railway would necessitate
great expenditure. (Cancel any remarks to this section shown on copy of memo
randum attached).
Section 5.— From Tang-i-Darbadam to the frontier at Bajghiraisa most diffi
cult bit of engineering. The road is incomplete, and in places the intended
direction of the road cannot even be seen on the ground ; but where it could be
traced, the sharpest of sharp zig-zags were seen to prevail. To make a railway
over this section would cost at least ^10,000 a mile and the present direction of
the road would not be followed to any great extent.
The Alsatian Engineer mentioned in my copy attached, died in November
last, and 1 have heard of no European being appointed to replace him.
Owing to the elevation, say 4,000 feet, of the watershed The boundary between adjacent drainage basins. of the Kuren Dagh
range which has to be crossed, there can be no work done on this section, say till
March or April 1890. I doubt its being open to wheel traffic till 1891 through
out its whole length. [TV.Z?.—As muchof the road as has been completed, viz. %
to within four hours march of the Russian frontier, is used for wheeled traffic, the
baggage being then transferred to camels.]
&t Vor the road from Bajghari to Askabad, which is a distance of 45 versts or
30 miles (not 20 miles as stated by me in my memorandum attached), I beg to
give my notes as taken on the spot. 28th November left Askabad going south
by east; road wide except bridges in good order with very gentle ascent till 1 ith
verst, at which point after gentle ascent foot hills entered.
" 12th verst. Hills.
15th verst. Zig-zag over saddle-back and descent into closed valley which
is reached at 23rd verst. Yellow valley to top, then turn west, attack hill by
fierce zig-zags, from 30th to 37th verst.
39th verst. Enter plain between mountains and easy almost level going to
43rd verst, where Badjghira-i-Russ, which consists of a few huts for housing front
ier guards, is reached ; there is a rest house here for use of Russian Officers when
on inspection.
After ascent by zig-zag reach a stone building; defensible, with courtyard
also defensible, abov^ which and a few hundred yards therefrom, is the saddle-back
which divides Russia from Persia. Notes end.
The stone edifice mentioned above is described by the Hon'ble George
Curzon in his article to the Times of December 6th as a big rectangular fortified
building for troops. I heard it was for use as a barrack and rest-house com
bined ; the courtyard enclosing the building would be, say, 22 yards by 10. Again
Mr. Curzon found the Russian Section ending abruptly at the Russian Badjghira,
whilst I saw it extending to the frontier and at least 3 miles of road made on the
Persian side of the frontier, shewing that they had not been idle during the
month of November. Numerous Irish bridges were observed, some in a state of
disrepair; the Russians to save money having adopted these make-shift cause
ways, or paved fords to cross the torrent-beds, which are met with in many places,
instead of bridging them. The bridges, where they do exist, are absurdly narrow,
having not more than ten feet of roadway.
The whole section of road to my mind does not reflect credit on the engi
neering capacity of the man who laid it out; the Russian Government can never
have contemplated running a railway over it when they allowed it to be con
structed with such utter disregard to the facilities required by the last-named
mode of locomotion.
From the 1 ith verst to the 45th verst would, I should say, require still ^*10,000
a mile to turn it into a railway: the present road, in many places, would not be
followed, and numerous causeways would have to be replaced by bridges.
7 b
ll