Page 385 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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admitting a doubt in the matter of her territorial right. At most it may bo said that she lias
not hitherto placed herself in oornplcto possession, or made good her claims ; but once she
signs this Convention, sho admits as questionable hor right, which is in reality undoubted.
IIow then could tho English Government, with tho friendly seutimouts they entertain
towards Persia, desiro that she should by means of till's Convention abrogate her own territorial
rights or how could tho Persian Ministers bring thcmsolvos to assent to such a measure ?
“If therefore tho English Mission, as was at first proposed, will conclude a Telegraphic
Convention, such as that which provided for tho construction of the Bushire and Khanikin
line, the Persian Government will not refuse in friendship to do so, but will put up the wire
along the coast of Persia, which tho English Government requires, from Gwadur to Jask, and
theiico to Bunder Abbas ; otherwise, let the Persiau Government and tho English Missiou
refer the question to London, and orders will be sent to tho Persian Charge d’Affairea in
England to discuss tho matter with the British Ministers.
V.—■'“The Shah has waived his opinion respecting tho Articles of Convention
submitted for his approval, as convoyed in tho
Mr. Alison, to Lord Stanley, ICth December. memorandum of the Persiau Minister for Foreign
Affairs, enclosed in my despatch No 133 of the
8th instant, but pressed the point of mention being made of the liun and coast up to Gwadur,
as ‘the Persian Coast*in the Articles in question. A9 I did not think this admissible, His
Majesty has waived this point uIbo, and is now willing to embody in a Convention the threo
Artiolos transcribed ou tho margin in tho enclosure.
“On the opposite side is tho Article sent in Your Lordship's despatch No. 23, dated the
26th of October 1866, and underneath are my remarks on the modifications made of that
Article during tho negotiation.
" The Articles, as they now stand, 6ecm to me calculated to meet the requirements of
Her Majesty's Government for carrying out the object in view.
“When Ibis part of the subject is satisfactorily disposed of, I will address Your Lordship
on the expediency or not of opening negotiations for extending the line from Ispahan to
Yezd, Kerman, and Buuder Abbas, as at first intended.

“ Modified Draft.
“ I.
“ Original Draft.
to'tUP«>".^QPuT«°bI?*‘u,oPD”u!u Grnru- " In order to provide against any possible aeoi-
ment will arrange with tho (1) Khan of Kelat dent to the Persian Gulf cable, it is agreed
and with the Imam of Muscat and the Chiefs of between the high contracting Governments of
licluchistan, with regard to tho construction; England and Persia that the British Government
aiiaiit rke nTs,rut,s wit- rcerd ,to th5
distinctly understood and admitted on both aides construction and efficient working of a line of
that such arrangement in no way implies a Telegraph between Gwadur and a point between
recognition or admission of sovereignty iu any Jask and Buuder Abbas.
parties over the districts through which tho line
botweeu Gwadur and Bunder Abbas mny pass,
or in any way affects the rights claimed by
Persia over Buch districts."
“II.
“ The Government of Persia will employ her good offices and authority for facilitating
it6 construction, maintenance, and protection, and in order to enable her to meet any expenses
which she may have to incur on its account, the British Government will pay over, to her
annually the sum of 3,000 Tomans, so that she may protect the line to that extent; the
payment of the above sum being made from the day on whioh the work of laying down the
line is commenced."
*

“ REMARKS.
“1. The Shah objeoted to mention being made of the Khan of Kelat, the Imam of
Muscat, and the Chiefs of Bcluchistan j of tho two first because it would, I presume,
imply a right on their part to territory claimed by Persia, and of the Chiefs of Beluchistan
as derogatory to the Royal dignity. The names being omitted, the Shah's objections are
removed, and the British Government remains at liberty to make arrangements with whom­
ever they like, with tho influence aud authority of the Shah to back them.
“ 2. Objection was made to tho Persiau word nigahdetri, used to render ‘ maintenance.*
His Majesty may have thought that its insertion might invest us with powers prejudicial to
his sovereign rights, and when it was explained to him that maintaining tho line meant
nothing more than maintaining it in efiicieut working order, he preferred the substitution of
• Tho following words aro horo crasod in tho manuscript: “ tho Persian Govornmout ogroo to set up and
maintain a land lino of tclograph from Ispahan to Yezd and Korman, nud from Kerman to Bunder Abbas, and
t Erased: “ in connection with the Baid liuo botween Bander Abbaa and Ispahan."
2616 F. D.