مراسلات وملاحظات وقصاصات صحفية متنوعة تتعلق ببلاد فارس [ظ‎‎١‎١] (٢٥٥/٢٢)

APPENDIX I.
British Position as Regards Railway Construction in Persia.
Copy of Despatch from Sir H. Wolff of March 20, 1889.
My Lord, . 1,1011
I HAVE the honour to inclose a copy of the engagement given to me by tlie bnaii
with resnect to railways in Persia, and with special relation to those in the south.
(Signed) H. D. WOLFE.
The Shah to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
(Translation.)
His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
OF his Excellency Wolff, the English Minister, Ac., communications information
has been received, and it has caused much astonishment. . , . . .
Convey these commands to his Excellency the Minister, &c. Even give him tins
very autograph, in order that he may keep it and be satisfied that our former promise
with regard to the priority of the English Government over others m the construction
of a southern railway to Tehran continues to hold good, and certainly whenever Railway
Concessions in the north, &c., are given to others, immediately a Concession for a
railway from Tehran to Shuster, or such a one, will be given to the English Company,
and of course, then the clauses and conditions will also be examined, 111 order that it be
to our advantage and interest, and for the benefit of the commerce of both parties, and
positively no southern railway, without consultation with the English Government, will
be granted to any foreign Company.
September 16, 1888.
p.g. And it is clear that in Persia nobody will be granted permission to construct
railways except it be solely commercial ones. We say so now that they may kn°w it.
In 1900 Mr. Spring-Rice was instructed to ascertain whether the present Shah was
aware of his father’s promise, and he reported the steps which he took for the purpose
in a despatch of the 26th April, 1900. The matter was explained to the Shah by the
Hakim-ul-Mulk, and Dr. Adcock stated that His Majesty had seen the document. _
The Sadr-i-Azam told Mr. Spring-Rice that the Shah had seen his communication,
and the late Shah’s autograph. His Majesty had said that it was a binding document,
but that there could be no question of any Railway Concession, either m north or
south, for ten years. “ If the others take any measures : we will show them this
autograph, rest assured that there is cause now.”