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that three custom-houses would be maintained on the Karun, one at Mohammerah, the
second at Ahwaz, and the third at Shuster. It appears that lately the Persian customs
authorities determined to do away with inland custom-houses, and consequently two of
these were threatened with suppression. Well, persons interested in foreign trade
naturally protested. It was a great inconvenience to them that goods destined for one of
the upper ports should have to be taken out of the ship’s hold at Mohammerah and there
examined. Representations were made to the Persian Government; and I am glad to say
that the result has been that temporary arrangements have been made, or are about to
be made, under which our traders will be given customs facilities at these three ports as
was originally intended.”
160. This speech formed the subject of conversation between Lord
Secret, Jolr 1903, Nos 386-387, Proceeding Lansdowne and the Russian Ambassador,
No. >87. in which the former again asserted the
special interests of Great Britain in the Gulf, the south ports, and also in
Seistan:—
The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir C. Scott.
No. 112.
Foreign Office, 6th May igoj.
11 The Russian Ambassador observed to me to-day that he had read with interest the
statement which I had made in the House of Lords last night on the subject of British
interest in Persia. He saw nothing in that statement to which exception could be taken.
His Excellency said that I had not mentioned Russia, although I probably had Russia in
my mind: that power, however, had no idea of establishing a naval base in the Persian
Gulf.
" I replied that I was under the impression that my speech did not contain much
that was new, and that 1 had merely reaffirmed propositions which had on previous
occasions been made or implied on behalf of the British Government. I had certainly
never heard that Russia or any other power contemplated the acquisition of a naval base
in the Gulf, but, as His Excellency was aware, there were many people who could not
be persuaded that she had not such designs.
“ His Excellency went on to say that, in his opinion, things were hardly ripe for a
discussion between our two Governments as to affairs in Persia. It would be difficult to
draw a hard-and-fast line between British and Russian interests without raising questions
which might give trouble. His instructions were to the effect that Russia accepted free
commercial competition in Persia, and that was all.
u I said I fully realised the difficulty of laying down spheres of influence, but that I
thought it would not be amiss that His Excellency and I should, if not to-day, perhaps on
some other occasion, consider whether it would not be possible to arrive at an understand­
ing upon certain points concerning the policy of the two countries in Persia.
“ We in this country recognized the preponderance of Russia in North Persia. On
the other hand, we had special interest in the Gulf, in the south ports, and also in Seistan.
With regard to the latter, I said that we should certainly regard with serious apprehension
any attempt on the part of Russia to construct a railway from the north, so as to threaten
the frontiers of India on the Baluchistan side.
"His Excellency said that he fully understood our feelings on the subjects, and that be
would be glad to discuss them with me unofficially whenever I liked. In the meanwhile,
he expressed the opinion that it was most unlikely that railway schemes of the kind which
1 had described would be undertaken by the Russian Government.
161. We may mention here also an important communication made by the
A u „ Marquess of Lansdowne to the French
jan. 1903,No. 45-.8 Ambassadar, as reported in the Foreign
Office letter, dated 19th March 1902, to Sir E. Monson :
During the course of a prolonged conversation with the French Ambassador to-day, he
referred to the attitude of the British, or as he put it, the Indian, Government towards
other Powers in the Persian Gulf. He regarded the pretensions of the Indian Government
as excessive, and attributed to them a desire to treat the Gulf as a British lake.
He thought it would be impossible for us to persist in a policy of this kind, The Ana-
tolian Railway would have its terminus at some point upon the Gulf, which would then
become a highway for international commerce, and we must look this prospect in the face.
I replied that His Excellency was mistaken in attributing to us or to the Government
of India a desire to exclude the trade of other countries from Persian waters.. Our attUude
towards the Anatolian Railway project had been far from unfriendly. I had, indeed, within
the las^ few days, explained to the German Ambassador that we were quite prepared
to facilitate the. construction of the line, but that our support was not to be expected
unless we were given a share at least equal to that of any other Power in the capitalization
of the Company, in its management, and in the orders for materials and equipment.
M. Cambon observed that he could say confidently that there was no desire to deny
sufficient opportunities to British capitalists, but that when the project had been mooted in