Page 379 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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CHAPTER IV.

Negotiations with Persia for Telegraphic Extension, westward, from
Gwadur, 1805-08. Telegraph Convention of 1808.*
31. In June 1865, under instructions received from the Secretary of
State for India, Lieutenant-Colonel Goldsmid, who had succeeded the late
Lieutenant-Colonel P. Stewart as Chief Director of the Indo-European Tele­
graph, was deputed to Teheran to assist Her Majesty’s Minister at the
Court of Persia in negotiating a Telegraph Treaty. On the 19th August a
Bombay Government Resolution was forwarded to that officer, asking his
opinion “ as to the extreme limit to which tho aerial line can bo extended
westward from Gwadur without opposition or reasonable objection from the
Persian Government ?’*
No. 73 of 4th October 18C5. 32. in the reply were tho following
Vide letter to Secretary of State, No. 49 of paragraphs I—
31st November.
“ The question of * opposition ’ differs from that of ‘ reasonable objootion.’ Judging from
former proceedings and former correspondence, opposition of 6omo kind has distiuotly been
made by the Persian Government to an advance along the coast west of Gwadur, without their
consent obtained. The statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to this effect in May
1863 is on record; and Mr. Thomson, then Charg6 d’Affaires at Tehran, explained that
Persia wanted to have assured the coast from Charbar to froutier of Bunder Abbas. My own
reading of their objections is, that they bear also upou the coast from Gwadur to Charbar.
** As to c reasonable objection/ I have already had the honour of reporting. It seems to
me that they have really none to urge as regards the coast from Kurrachee to the eastern limit 1
of the lands farmed by the Imam of Muscat. But this is a question on which I think we
should discuss the merits with Persia herself. Suoli discussion cannot throw us back in our
general course ; and its result must serve to place our acts on a securer basis than if we moved
bindfolded. Besides, and I mako this suggestion in all deferenoe, we do not then hamper I
successive politicians with the defence of a line of polioy or proceeding on which there is no
record, but that we came, saw, and planted our telegraph post.” And an extract from a semi­
official letter written shortly before the above reference had been made, and accompanying the
reply, oontained a proposition to treat on the boundary question :
u Persia has asked for British interference in adjusting her eastern boundary. The
request has been declined in the way put by her Ministers. But might not the settlement of 1
boundary he accepted on behalf of the Kelat State of Beluchistan, so very recently invaded
by Persian troops? Tho Chief of that State, who really owes no allegiance, nor acknowledges
any to the Shah—the inheritor, moreover, of an independent dominiou—is our 6rm ally
and protegi, and is desirous of consolidating his power. In aiding him to deGne his western
frontier, the British authorities are not seeking to define which are Persian and which not
Persian territories. All that they would require is a guarantee from Persia that she will not
pewnit her soldiers or subjects to pass a certain lino of frontier considered to mark the Kelat
boundary.
“The sole difficulty that I see in the way, is in the discontent likely to bo raised among
the petty Beluch Chiefs on the west of the Kelat line, who may look upou themselves as
given over to Persia by this arrangement. The point is, no doubt, one of great delicacy, but
it is presumed that the question must he met if the Telegraph line is to be run eventually
through these traots of country. I canuot but believe that wo might come to a satisfactory
understandiug with the Persians to the effect that up to the long stripe of coast farmed by
the Imam of Muscat, of which Bunder Abbas is the western extremity, we treat the local
Chiefs as independent in regard to any subsidy given; but carefully stipulate a policy of non­
interference in the general question of suzerainty, in which we neither acknowledge or
disown the Persian claim.”
33. Lieutenant-Colonel Goldsmid's telegram of the 23rd November 1865
reported to tho Bombay Government completion of the Anglo-Persian Tele­
graph Convention. He solicited orders
No. 368 of 6th December 1865.
for further movements. A Resolution
of Government informed him, in reply, he should use his own discretion as to
route to Bombay, especially if he could do <c anything to promote a branch
land line to meet Government line in Mekran.”
• For tolo^raphs iu general ia tho Persian Gulf, soo Prdcison Commerce and Communications in the
Persian Qulf.