Page 317 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

3
regulation visit to Bandar Abbas; while he displayed a considerable professional
activity during the outbreak of plague at Bushire, where he announced that,
upon his approaching return to Russia, he was to be replaced by two com­
patriots. In connection with this medical propaganda, it has to be mentioned
that when the first rumours were circulated of plague at Bushire, the Russian
Lagation at Tehran at once announced their intention of sending doctors, with
Cossack escorts, to Bushire as well as Shiraz, in order to establish a plague
cordon for the protection of those places from the Indian pestilences and then
Russian doctors took up their quarters both at Shiraz and Kerman.
13. In 1898 Count Kapnist, nephew of the Russian Ambassador at Vienna,
applied for a concession from the P6rte
Kapnist railway project.from the Mediterranean
Sea to the Persian Gulf, 1S09. for constructing a railway line from Tripoli
Secret E, May 1899, Nos. 50-78. in Syria to the Persian Gulf. It was re­
Secret E., July 1899, Nos. 3G5-367.
ported, however, that though the Russian
Embassy at Constantinople supported the scheme, the Russian Ambassador did
not actively interest himself in the affair. It was believed that M. Witte preferred
a railway from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf instead of one from Tripoli,
which would be impossible to carry out without English capital.
14. From reports received in April 1899, it was found that Count Kapnist
„ „ . . v, had informed the Pdrte that he had ceased
S.c,<« e., September ,899. No, ,8-,9. t0 have any connection with the scheme,
and that M. Rechnitzir was the real applicant for the concession. The terms
of the draft convention were carefully examined at the Ministry of Public
Works and certain modifications were agreed to. The head of the line was to
be Alexandretta, not Tripoli, as originally proposed. The line was to proceed to
Aleppo, Deir, Baghdad, Basrah and a terminus on the Persian Gulf, with a
branch line from Baghdad to Najaf vid Kerbella. A line from Koniah vid
Adana has to join the main line between Aleppo and Alexandretta.
15. In February and March 1899 three Russians proceeded to Koweit
from Basrah, furnished with letters of
Russians visit Koweit, 1S9O.
Secret E., September 1899, Nos. »40*180. introduction from the VVali.
]6. In June 1899 the Russian Consul at Ispahan Prince Dabija visited Bushire.
He intended stopping four months in those
Prince Dabija’s visit to the Gulf and Arabistan,
tSy). parts with a view to establish Russian
Secret e., September 1899, Nos. 140180. Consular Agencies at Bandar Abbas,
1 * Maskat and Mohammerah. He was also
going, it was said, to inspect Hormuz as to its suitability for a coal depot. A
merchant arrived at Bushire about this time and informed the Resident that three
Russians had come to Bandar Abbas and that there were rumours that the place
was to be leased to Russia. The visitors were not however Russians but a
German by name Toeppen, a convert to Mohamedanism and his companions.
17. Prince Dabija proceeded Ahwaz by way of Mohammerah. The Russian
Prince talked to the Sheikh of Mohammerah
Ibid No. 167.
of his and Sheikh Mubarak being under
British control, of the Russian desire to have a port in the Persian Gulf, and of
the British being in the way, etc.
18. On 181 h April 1899, with reference to reports published of Russian
Russian designs on Kishnt. designs upon the island of Kishm, Count
Secret E., May 1899, Nos 160—165. Mouavief assured Sir C. Scott, Her
Majesty’s Ambassador at St. Petersburgh “ that there was absolutely no intention
on the part of the Russian Government to add to the burden of their existing
responsibilities by acquiring outlying ports or stations "which would requre
naval defence in time of war. ”
19. In March and April 1899 reports were received that the Tiflis Kars railway
was ready for traffic to Alexandrapol, and
Railway project to the Gulf, iSOQ.
Secret E., July 1899, N01. 314 318. that as the convention concluded on 10th
November 1890 would lapse in 1900, the
Russian Minister at Tehran had authorized a Russian Syndicate of capitalists
to construct a line from Alexanderpol by Djonfa to Chocton in Persian territory,