Washington sentinel., 1899-06-03
ENGLAND.
PERSIA AND THE Powers.
Consular JOAInaI

1 ~"FSHfdy JOHIHQE
For the last ten years there has been
periodical talk Of a coming division of
Persia between Russia and England.
The former, it has been agreed, would
nave the northern PROVINCES, and the
latter would have the southern provinces
The central portion ofthe country might
remain, 1t was thought. under the
dominion Of the Shahs-as a sort of
buffer State between the two great
nations. From time to time we have
been favored with the news that Russia
was making certain encroschments on
Pers an territory; that Russian engineers
mad obtained special concessions which
would give Russia line ofraIlway righ;
down to the mouth Of the Persian Gulf
kumors have also on occasion been
circulated that England had secured
special concessions in the south and
south centre; but il is only another
instance Of the fact that ITO err IS
human" that Persia stands on practi
cally the same footing as she did ten
years ago, when Nazred din Shah paid
his memorable visit to the European
capitals, and was received by monarchs
and ministers with all the pomp and
iustian suitable to the occasion. Persia
we say, stands Just where she stood ten
years ago-a striking example, the most
striking example on the eastern horizon,
OF the corruption. and unprogressiveness
and the utter weakness of despotic
governm ent; but there are now signs
thar changes are near. No drastic
dynastic changes, not an upsetting ofthe
government at Teheran, nor a territorial
division OF the country. but a long
drawn struggle Tor commercial and
diplomatic supremacy between two or
three of the great European Powers.
Hitherto British commerce has prevailed
throughout Persia, and il is only within
the last five years that German goods
have found their way into the Persian
markets,
Our trade with Southern Persia
amounts to several millions sterling.
and our trade with BagdaG, Koweit and
Bahrein-not to mention Muscat-ls OF
appreciable amount. All these places
have large potentialiues in the future,
Again, not only do we figure With some
reality of political influence in Southern
Persia, and along the Persian Baluchistan
Coast, but VIC virtually exercise a
protectorate over Bahrein, and the
greater number Of the Arab tribes in
Arabia lining the Gulf as well as over
Muscat. Turkey has only slender hold
over small portion at the extreme
north OF the Gull. We are, and have
been during this century, politically and
supreme in the Gulf, and
also in the Sea Of Oman or the Muscat
waters Other nations French Turkish,
German, American, and even Russian
have come in TO share with us the
trade which we promoted; but had it
not been for us, there would have been
very little trade to share. We have
established an effective system Of police
by means of our gunboats, and have
done more than any one to clear the
waters Of the Gulf of the nests Of pirates
with which 1t was, and still is toa certain
extent, infested. AS a reward for all
our trouble, we fud Russia laundering
at the northern doors of Persia,
and showing symptoms OF breaking
through the east to Persian Baluchistan;
Germany is making a bid for Koweit;
and France, ever working against
"perhde Albion,' has recently tried
once more to insinuate herself into
Muscat, This is not a time, therefore,
to hide our power, or show any disposi.
ton to renouuce our position in the
Gulf and the territories surrounding it,
or to commit irreparable blunders by
Omittlng the notice of events transporting
there. The Persian Gulf is the door Of
India on the west Tor Persia. urkey and
Arabia, and we cannot rellnqush it,, to
be shared by other powers. Germany's
interests in the Gulf are at present prac-
tically nothing, and the only interest of
France IN tine Sea of Oman is to sell her
flag for dollars to cover the neiarious
slave trade which by this means still
obtains between Africa and Arabia. AS
tor Russia, It is well known that her
agents Tor years past, with more or less
success, have attempted to explore
Persian Baluchlstan and Eastern Persia
To our Government and our exporters
alike, we therefore say "WatCh Persia
and all that concerns it"
.