Page 40 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

2i

tho Counoil of State, He was Instructed by the Marquis of Salisbury to oppose
os on formor occasions, tho conclusion of such arrangements until the Persian
• prom n.M'.. Ch»rg< d'Affoire*. T*hor»n, No. Government had come to some under-
lei, dated 20th September 1878, to tbo M*rquii of standing with Baron Reuter in eouitahlo
s*iubory. (DUry No. 8780-e.) satisfaction of bis claims. After Dr
Tholozan’s return to Teheran, he had pressed* his proposal constantly on thq
Bhah, and was supported by several of the Chamberlains who have considerable
influence with Bis Majesty. On one occasion tho Shah, said lo the Minister
for Foroign Affairs that it had bettar bo granted at once. Mr. Thomson, how­
ever, endeavoured to dissuade the Minister for Foreign Affairs from giving the
Concession, and told him that Her Majesty’s Government wero of opinion
that such Concessions should not bo granted until the Persian Government had
come to aA arrangement with Baron Reuter. On 2Gth October 1878, Her
Majesty’s Cliargd d’Affaires at Teheran telegraphed that tbo bhah bad caused
the Concession to he given to Dr. Tholozan, as an inducement, it was believed,
to cbntinuo bis attendance on His Majesty. With a view to prevent its execu­
tion, Mr. Thomson oommuuioated a memorandum to tbo Minister for Foroign
Affairs, pointing out that, in addition to its being adverse to the interests of
Persia, it infringed on Baron Router’s Concession, and clauses 4 and 6 of the
proposed agreement were opposed to treaty stipulations. The clauses referred
to are as follows i—
—Quc si une &1use on des &luses sont ndeessaires, h c®te du barrage, pour le passage
des natires ou des bateaux, la compagnie aprfcs avoir etabli scs frais ces constructions, y aura
■eule 1*3 droit de circulation; qu’elle sera libre do conceder «3 droit h tel ou tel, moyennant
redovancc, et oprfis information donnee par elle au Gouverncment Persan; quo dans ce caa lo
Gouvernement Persan percuvra le quart du r6venu net de co droit de passage.
“ —Que sur le cours du Karoun entro le barrage d’Ahvaz et le mer, personae d'aotro
que la compagnie n’aura le droit d’etablir des constructions quelconques 6ur les terree
arrosees.”
These objections were taken into consideration by the Persian Government.
f Telegram from HM.'a Chargo d’Affaires, The result was that, on 15th December
Teleian, dated 16th December 1878. lS78,f the Minister for Foreign Affairs
informed Mr. Thomson that they had fully and finally resolved to cancel the
Concession, and that Dr. Tholozan had undertaken, by a formal promise to tho
Shah, to return the signed document as 60on as he could get it back from Faris^
The Minister for Foreign Affairs said this decision was in consequence of the
memorandum communicated by Mr. Thomson to the Persian Government
wiboh, he said, " had opened their eyes to the objectionable nature of the
scheme.”
91. In a letter to the Marquis of Salisbury, No. 205, dated 6th November
1878, Mr. Thomson reported regarding the objections he raised against the grant
of the Ahwaz Concession. The cause, which authorized tho Company to
construct locks at Ahwaz and to give or refuse the right of passage through
them to vessels other than their own, would, if carried into effect, close tho free
navigation of the Karun above Ahwaz and give the Company a monopoly
between Ahwaz and Shuster. This Mr. Thomson considered, would infringo
the privileges which we are entitled to claim under the most favoured nation
clause of tho Treaty. The 6th clause of the appendix stipulated that no
buildings should be erected by tho Company, on any of the lands which
were susceptible of being irrigated by the waters from the dam at Ahwaz. He
considered this clause might be made to cover every foot of land on both sides
of the Karun from Ahwaz to the Persian Gulf. It would thus interfere with
the right we had to acquire property and to possess and erect buildings necessary
for residence and trade under the 6th Article of the Treaty of Turkomancbi
and the 12th Article of the Treaty of Paris of 1857, conferring upon us all
privileges which were accorded to Russian subjects in Persia. Mr. Thomson
also reported that lie had been told by the French Minister at fleheran that
hia Government did not view the project with favour. They had instructe
him to inform Dr. Tholozan that they would not efford the holders of tuo
Concession aDy countenance or support.