Mss Eur F699/1/1/1/6/78

Refers to a Despatch in the Secret Department of 3 Feb on the state of political affairs in Persia and a further Despatch of 10 Feb. These recommended the establishment of a British Agent at Herat to be placed under the Minister at Teheran with two assistants, one of whom might be left at Kandahar. Since the Despatches were sent, Stanley has discussed Central Asian politics with various people and has seen Major Lumsden's report on Afghanistan, with the remarks of Sir John Lawrence and Colonel Edwardes. Both of these recommend a purely defensive policy with no diplomatic relations west of the Indus, and Lawrence again urges the policy of restoring Peshawur to the Afghans, and making the line of the river the boundary. Lawrence urges the greater strength of the strategical line without Peshawur, its singular unhealthiness, its expense if held by Europeans and the dangers of holding it by native troops, and the control which he assumes its possession by the Afghans would give England over them, inasmuch as it could always be retaken in the event of war. Stanley has never encouraged this idea, but would be glad to know that Canning had fully considered it. Stanley's proposal to send a Mission to Herat was to gain information, and there is no question of renewing the policy of active interference which led to the Afghan war of 1839-40. Hopes to hear from Canning on this. Believes that England should not meddle in the internal affairs of foreign Asiatic states, and yet should not be entirely isolated from them. If England leaves the states alone, Russia will not, and Russian influence will be used to harm England. Private.