RUSSIA'S HOLD ON PERSIA
[To the Editor of Tim SPECTATOR.] SIR,—While so much has been written lately respecting the various matters at issue between this country and Persia it is surprising to find how generally the fundamental cause of the Whole trouble has been overlooked.
Undoubtedly this cause is the Russian domination of Persia and its government, which bids fair to amount to a positive stranglehold. This domination is no new thing, nor due originally to the machinations of the Soviet Govern- ment, since it dates back to 1822' when the importance of the Persian market to Russia was recognized by the Tsar Alexander I, who entered into the first trade agreement ever negotiated between Russia and Persia. This was, like all others which haVe followed it, overwhelmingly in favour of
Russia and had as its ultimate aim the bringing of Persia under the complete subjugation of Russia.
This Treaty existed until February, 1903, when a new one was entered into by which tariffs were based upon a clearly- defined basis, very low rates being imposed upon those classes of goods of which Russia stood in the greatest need. About the same time a trade agreement was entered into between Persia and this country, but when a detailed com- parison came to be made between the two Treaties, it was found that whereas those classes of goods most required by Russia bore an average duty of only 41- per cent., those most in demand by Great Britain and other European countries were fixed at an average of a little under 27 per cent. I
Nor is this all. For the past few years there has been in existence a system whereby imports into Russia have perforce to be exchanged for Russian manufactured goods. The result of this has been to close to a very large extent the British and other nations' export markets into Persia for those goods which Russia has the right to impose upon Persia in return for its raw materials. At the present time, too, there is ample evidence to show that the Soviet agents have embarked upon a systematic under-valuation of the Persian imports, and a corresponding over-valuation of the Russian manufactured goods for many of which, indeed, Persia has neither need nor outlet at the present time.
Until the evils of this system are fully realized, and its abolition insisted upon, Persia must lie fettered at the disposal of its powerful northern neighbour.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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