ملف ٣٤٤٣/١٩١٤ الجزء ٢ "الحرب الألمانية: المبعوثون الألمان إلى أفغانستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٤] (٤٩٠/٢١٧)

\
- >
absolutely ridiculous and unfounded sucli stories are, since there are
Turkish forces in Persia at the present time, and no German or Austr'* 10
troops of any kind, but I would suggest to Your Majesty the advisability^
having them officially contradicted, if indeed it is true that such rumours 0t
prevalent in Afghanistan, in order that the more ignorant and credulou
Y r our Majesty’s subjects may not be misled into thinking that these Germ°
parties, should they appear on your frontier, are the vanguard of a laro-e fn^
following.
4. I would take this opportunity of again congratulating Your Majest
on the wholehearted and honourable manner in which you continue to ma
tain the neutrality which, at the beginning of the war, you guaranteed a^
which not only serves the best interests of your country, but also earns for vo
the gratitude of your old friend and ally, the British Government. In U
former letter, in which I expressed somewhat similar sentiments, I took the
opportunity of giving you my personal opinion as regards the course of the
war in Europe, and I would now again reiterate the opinion that, in spite
of the present set-back to Russia in the eastern theatre of the war, and in soit
of the lack of very definite successes in the west, those who are best qualified
to judge have no doubt whatever as to the ultimate issue of this unhappy war
With the patience and determination that inspires the Allies, these nations*
numbering some 314 millions (excluding India and Japan), with far superior
economic resources and the command of the sea, cannot fail eventually to
crush Powers with less than a third of their population and au infinitely
inferior economic condition, a ruined trade and complete exclusion from the
seas, however great the initial advantage of the latter may have been in
military equipment and organization owing to their long and secret prepara,
tion for this war. It is impossible to forecast, of course, how long this war
will last, but Your Majesty may be assured that the allied nations are
absolutely determined to see it through to a victorious conclusion, and that,
with the advantages above mentioned, this result is eventually inevitable.
5. I shall keep Your Majesty informed of any further information which
I receive with regard to these German parties in Persia, and will gladly con'
sider any suggestion Your Majesty may have to make in regard to any
co-operation on my part that you may think desirable in preventing them
fpm violating Your Majesty’s territories.— Uaual ending.