§ 3. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the number of robberies that are reported to have occurred on the Bushire-Ispahan trade route in Persia during March last, including the looting of a caravan of lamb skins, the property of Russian subjects; whether the Russian owners have been or are to be compensated for their loss; and, if so, whether he will insist upon the right of British subjects to be equally compensated for the losses that they have incurred?
§ Sir E. GREYThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part my only information is to the effect that according to a report received by the Persian Government the chief official at Yezdikhast pursued the robbers and recovered the goods. As regards British losses; I see no reason to depart from the procedure hitherto followed whereby failing recovery of the goods or satisfaction being given by the local authorities, a claim is presented to the central Government by His Majesty's Minister at Teheran.
§ Colonel YATEMay I ask if there is any prospect of the claims being satisfied?
§ Sir E. GREYI am afraid that the pecuniary claims in Persia are not in a very satisfactory condition, and therefore the only certain remedy is to recover the goods. I think in some instances that remedy has been obtained in the case of British goods, but I gather that, in this particular Russian case, the goods were recovered.
§ Colonel YATEWill the British Minister press for compensation in cases where the goods have not been recovered?
§ Sir E. GREYThe claims are put on record, and, of course, we shall press for compensation and the actual payment, whenever Persian finances admit of it.
§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYCan the right hon. Gentleman take no steps to make the trade routes more safe for British subjects?
§ Sir E. GREYThat has been discussed at length, and the step we have encouraged is the gendarmerie under Swedish officers, which has lately made some progress in the protection of the routes.