"مراسلات تتعلق باحتلال روسيا لمرو وتقدمها على حدود خراسان في بلاد فارس." [و‎‎١‎٢‎٢] (٢٦/٢٥)

supply of water necessary for the irrigation of their fields. When
this result has been obtained, the question of the formal delimitation
of the frontier will probably be brought forward by the Russian
Legation at Teheran. Meanwhile, as a preliminary measure, the
Russian Commissioner is using every effort to deprive the Persian
authorities of all control over the water supply on the Dereghez
and Kelat border.
“ The telegrams lately received by the Persian Government
from their Commissioner, Suleiman Khan, which complain in
very strong terms of the unfriendly proceedings of the Russians in
this matter, appear to have produced a very unfavourable impres
sion upon the Shah and his Ministers. I gather, indeed, from
recent conversations with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, that
the Persian Government now feel considerable uneasiness at the
prospect of their having to define the boundary line on that part
of the Khorassan frontier themselves with the Russians, and that
they would gladly welcome the presence of an English Delegate
to take part, in the negotiations, though they fear to incur the
displeasure and resentment of Russia by making such a proposal
to Her Majesty’s Government.”
* No. 84, dated 12th June 1884.
Asia ; Sect. 268.
f Despatch from Mr. Thomson, No. 107,
dated 8th July 1884.
On the 24th May the Meshed Agent reported
that an arrangement had been made as regards
the Kelat water, by which, what flowed within the
hills was left to Kelat, and what flowed ontside
to the plain was assigned to the Russians; that as
it was well known that all the cultivated lands of
Kelat lay outside the hills, the result would be to
give nine tenths of the water to the Russians and
one tenth to Kelat, and that the Persian Commis
sioner appeared, therefore, after six months’ labour
to have succeeded in so arranging matters that the
Persian peasants would have no choice left but to
become Russian subjects or fly the country.—a
view of the case concurred in by Mr. Thomson, #
and borne out by later reports.f
A. W. M.
Political and Secret Department,
15th August 1884.