IOR/L/PS/10/416/2

Continuation of correspondence and memoranda regarding the Société Internationale d'Études du Chemin de Fer Transpersan's proposed bid for an option to construct a railway in Persia.

The file contains: a report on the interdepartmental conference on the Trans-Persian Railway, held at the Foreign Office on 19 March 1914 (ff 73-78); a memorandum for communication to the Russian Government, summarising the British position following the conference (ff 69-70); communications received from the Société d'Études and the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the revised British proposals; and correspondence and minutes between the India Office, Foreign Office, War Office, Board of Trade and Admiralty.

The following topics are discussed:

• the alignment to be adopted, including the new British proposal of a route from Astara -- Resht -- Tehran -- Yezd -- Anar --Bahrambad -- Saidabad -- Ahmadi -- Bundar Abbas [Āstārā -- Rasht -- Tehrān -- Yazd -- Anār -- Bahrambad -- Sā'īdābād - -Aḥmadī -- Bander-e 'Abbās];
• the point of access to the Persian Gulf;
• parity of tariff rates;
• track gauges;
• method of presentation to the Persian Government;
• mineral rights, and accommodation of the interests of the Kerman Mining Concession and Persian Railways Syndicate [the Greenway Group];
• Russian and British control in their respective sections of the line;
• simultaneous construction of the line in the north and the south;
• the military consequences for the Government of India should the line terminate to the east of Bundar Abbas;
• linking India to the Bagdad Railway.

At the front of the file is a small set of correspondence for 1916, regarding a request from the French Government to restart negotiations over the railway.