Page 362 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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12. The Views entertained in Tohran at this particular period are sot forth
by Mr. Alison to Earl Russell in his letter dated Tehran, 19th November 1861.
Fcrukli Khan had called upon him and dwelt much on tho subject of the
projected Telegraph through Persia. Ho expressed an anxious desiro that
it should bo carried out.

Mr. Alison then took occasion to remark that it would have been better
had the conditions relative to the country between Bunder Abbas and Sind been
altogether left out; for those might require consideration and involve a delay
of some time, while, if the Telegraph was to bo made, no time should bo lost.
Eorukh Khan thought that Persia ought not to be blamed for making
somo allusion to, and thus avoiding future misunderstanding respecting, a
country which undoubtedly belonged to her, but over which she was not at
\present prepared to exercise a direct control.
13. Tho report of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf on the
Captain Felix Joan, H. M.’a I. N., to Bombay negotiations then pending with the
Government, No. 67, of 16th December 1861. Shah may bo added ill exteilSO .*—
“ Her Britannic Majesty's Minister in Persia having forwarded me, confidentially, a
translation of a memorandum from the Persian Government to his.addross on the subject of the
proposed line of Telegraph through Persia in India, I submit a oopy of it for the information of
His Excellency in Council, Bombay.
“ It will bo observed tho Persian Government has accepted the conditions proposed by
Her Majosty's Govomment, »r at least made a parade of doing so under provisions whioh it
seems to mo can never be entertained. These provisions, in tho second clause, imply proprie­
tary right, power, and authority by Persia over all Bcluchistan propor, if not over the
distriots north of it, including Herat and Afganistan, and would bind Her Majesty's
Government to the recognition of that right and authority.
“ In the third clause they exhibit a desire to extend or increase these implied prerogatives
of the Persian Crown ad infinitum without opposition on our part, though the wording
in this clause appears at variance with the terms 1 without augmentation ’ in tho previous
clause.
“I make these hasty observations only en passant. The true aim of the Persian
Government will no doubt be more clearly apparent to His Excellency in Council than to
myself. On my part it is only necessary to remark I put no faith whatever in the power
or ability of Persia to protect a line of Electric Telegraph, even from Shiraz to Bunder Abbas,
at the present time, and its energies are relaxing daily. I speak not only from my own
experience and convictions, but the words of intelligent Persian officers of rank who hold or
have held authority in the districts named."
These are the clauses referred to by Captain Jones:
II. “ Also that the English Government shall engage that whatever power and authority
and proprietary right the Persian Government from former times to the present day possessed
from Bunder Abbas to the frontiers of Sind, shall remain in statu quo, without augmentation
or diminution."
III. “Also that whenever the Persian Government shall, from any cause whatever, desire
to increase its power in those territories, the English Government shall, in no way whatever,
either overtly or secretly, oppose the same."
14. The opinion of Her Majesty’s Homo Government is expressed in a
despatch from the Right Honourable the
aJd £*11*?lies aq" to E* Hammond’ Eb*- Secretary of State for India:

“Sir Charles Wood is quite Willing to agree to a stipulation that whatever claims the
Persian Government may possess to the territory between Bunder Abbas and the frontier of
Sind, shall not be affected by any arrangement for the construction of the Telegraph between
those points, but he must decline to enter into any prospective arrangement as to the protection
of the. line through that country."
16. And Major Patrick Stewart, the Superintendent of the Telegraphs,
before proceeding on a special mission to Persia, was instructed by the
Government of India with reference to
F.SX'iSr1’ 10 M*j” P' 6t0"“rt’ 3r4 Captain Jones's letter No. 57, .of 16th
December, to carefully abstain from
making any statement, in word or writing, and from any course of aotion calcu­
lated to commit the British Government in any way whatever to a recognition or
admission of the pretensions of Persia over Baluchistan and tho distriots north
and west of it.

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