Persian Affairs.

This item comprises copies of enclosures to a despatch from the Government of Bombay [Mumbai] Secret Department to the Secret Committee, Number 25 of 1844, dated 25 March 1844. The enclosures are dated 20 February 1844. The enclosures chiefly comprise despatches from Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Sheil, HM Chargé d'Affaires at Tehran, to the Secretary to the Government of India with the Governor-General, enclosing copies of his despatches to the Earl of Aberdeen [George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen] Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with their respective enclosures notably letters from Sheil to E W Bonham, HM Consul at Tabreez [Tabriz], Lieutenant-Colonel Williams at Erzeroom [Erzurum], and Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Farrant, agent in Bagdad [Baghdad] for HM Ambassador in Constantinople [Istanbul]. A wide variety of subjects are covered, notably including:. Matters relating to the Persian Gulf, including: Persian [Iranian] plans to build fortifications at Bushire [Bushehr] (as well as Asterabad [Gorgan, formerly Astarabad] and Mazanderan [Mazandaran]); Persian objections to the British coaling station on the island of Karrack [Kharg] on the basis that Russia could use it as a pretext for establishing a fuelling station on one of the islands near Asterabad; and the arrival at Bushire of Sheikh Abdoollah [Shaikh 'Abdullāh bin Aḥmad Āl Khalīfah], the former Chief of Bahrein [Bahrain], requesting assistance from the Resident and from the Governor of Sheeraz [Shiraz] to help restore him to possession of the island; The conflicting claims of Persia and Ottoman Turkey with regard to possession of Mohemmera [Khorramshahr], particularly the tribe of Chaab [Banū Ka'b tribe] and the revenue of Fellaheea [Fellahiah] in Chaab territory. Includes reference to the memorandum by Major Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, Political Agent in Turkish Arabia, on the background to the dispute (a copy of the memorandum is in IOR/L/PS/5/428 ff 437-487); Concerns of Sheil and the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Meerza Abool Hassan Khan [Mīrzā Abū al-Ḥasan Khān Shīrāzī, Īlchī Kabīr] concerning the increase of 'aggressive' Russian influence over the Shah and the Persian Government, notably: the local Russian Consul by-passing the authority of the Governor of Resht, province of Geelan [Rasht, Gilan]; Russian intimidatory activities in Asterabad and on the Toorkoman [Turkoman] coasts; and continued pressure by Count Medem [Aleksandr Ivanovich Medem], Russian Minister Plenipotentiary at Tehran, on the Shah and Persian Prime Minister Hajee Meerza Aghassee [Ḥājjī Mīrzā Āqāsī, Ṣadr-i Aʿẓam] for the abrogation of Article 14 of the Treaty between Russia and Persia; Progress of the negotiations between Persia and Turkey at Erzeroom [Erzurum], mediated by Britain and Russia, regarding frontier disputes, notably: arbitration of tribal incursions; arrangements for the return of plundered property; ineffectualness of the Turkish and Persian plenipotentiaries (representatives) at Erzeroom; Persian claims against Turkey over the capture of Kerbela [Karbala] and demands for the dismissal of the Governor of Bagdad [Baghdad]; rumours that Turkey is amassing a military force near Erzeroom and Persian response in kind; arguments over territorial rights in Sooleimanieh [Sulaymaniyah], Van, Kars, and Akhilska [Akhaltsikhe?]; and attempts by the Persian Prime Minister to make the Persian plenipotentiary at Erzeroom tone down his territorial demands and to confer with the British and Russian commissioners. Includes translations of letters from the Persian Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the Shah (ff 405-416); Information conveyed to Sheil by HM Consul General at Tabreez, regarding the conflict in Daghistan [Dagestan] between Russian and Lesgee [Lezgian, also spelled Lezgee in this item] forces (Persia had ceded Daghistan to the Russian Empire in the Treaty of Gulistan 1813 but was pro-Lesgee), notably: rumours of severe losses on both sides; the Lesgee attack on Russian forces at Avran [Yerevan?], capture of the Governor of Georgia and besieging of Derband [Derbent]; rumours of Russian plans to send 40,000 troops under the command of General Yermaloff [Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov], to the Caucasas to invade Daghistan as soon as weather permits; and Persia's desire to drive Russia out of Georgia

The enclosure numbers 3-4 are written on the verso of the last folio of each enclosure, which also contain an abstract of the contents of the enclosure.

Unrestricted