Proclamation.

Foreign Department, Fort William, November 1, 1856. THE Right Honourable the Governor-General of India in Council, having, under instructions from Her Majesty's Government, directed the assemblage of a British force at Bombay, for service in the Persian Gulf, deems it proper to make known the reasons which have rendered this measure necessary.

In the month of January, 1853, certain Articles of Agreement were concluded between Lieutenant-Colonel Sheil, Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of the Shah of Persia, and his Highness the Sadr Azim, or Prime Minister of the Persian Government.

By those Articles the Persian Government engaged not to send troops to Herat on any account, unless foreign troops-that is, troops from the direction of Cabul or Candahar, or other foreign countryshould invade Herat. In the event of troops being sent, the Persian Government engaged that the said troops should not enter the city of Herat, and that, on the return of the foreign troops towards their own territory, the Persian troops should be immediately withdrawn from the neighbourhood of Herat to Persian soil.

The Persian Government also engaged to abstain from all interference whatsoever in the internal affairs of Herat, whether "in taking possession, or occupying, or assuming the sovereignty, or governing, except in so far as interference existed between the two parties during the lifetime of the late Yar Mahomed."

And, lastly, the Persian Government engaged to relinquish all pretension to and demand for the coinage, or the reading of the "khootbeh," or any other acknowledgment of allegiance or subjec tion, on the part of the people of Herat, to the Government of Persia.

It was at the same time stipulated, that so long as there should be no interference of any sort whatever, on the part of the British Government in the affairs of Herat, the engagements contracted by the Persian Government as aforesaid, should remain in full force and effect. On the other hand, it was agreed, in the name of the British Government, that "if any foreign Power, such as the Affghans or others," should wish to interfere with or to take possession of Herat, the British Government, on the requisition of the Persian Ministers, would not object to restrain such foreign Power by friendly advice, "so that Herat might remain in its own state of independence."

While the British Government has faithfully and constantly adhered to the obligations which it accepted under the Agreement of January, 1853, the Government of Persia has manifested a deliberate and persevering disregard of the reciprocal engagements by which it

at the same time became bound, and is now endeavouring to subvert by force the independence of Herat, which was the declared object of the Agreement in question.

So far back as December, 1855, the Persian Government, by an article in the Tehran "Official Gazette," announced its intention of dispatching a force to Herat, alleging that the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan, the Ruler of Affghanistan, had been instigated by his "neighbours" to possess himself of Candahar; that having, with their assistance, succeeded in that enterprise, he meditated an advance upon Herat; and that an armed demonstration in the direction of Herat was required for the preservation of tranquillity in Khorassan.

This assertion that the Ruler of Affghanistan was instigated by his "neighbours" to occupy Candahar, or that he was assisted by them in possessing himself of that city, or that he received advice or encouragement from them to advance upon Herat, was-if by those "neighbours" the British Government is indicated-wholly untrue. No such instigation, or assistance, or encouragement (direct or indirect), had been given by the British Government; nor, so far as the British Government is informed, had there been, when the assertion was made, any act on the part of the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan evincing a design to advance upon Herat.

Nevertheless, the Persian Government has executed its intention. Not only have Persian troops invaded the territory of Herat, although the contingency which alone could justify such an act has not come to pass, but they have laid siege to the city, and have interfered in its internal affairs; while the Government of Tehran has not only assumed the right to nominate the Ruler of Herat, but, in addressing the present chief of the city, has declared Herat to be Persian soil.

The siege of Herat has now been carried on by the Persian army for many months. Before its commencement, and during its progress, the unfriendly sentiments of Persia towards the British Government have been searcely veiled; and recently, the movements of troops, in different parts of Persia, have indicated a determination to persist in an aggression which is as unprovoked as it is contrary to good faith.

success.

The conduct of the Persian Government has been pronounced by Her Majesty's Government to constitute an act of open hostility against Great Britain. Reparation has been sought, but without The withdrawal of the Persian troops from the neighbourhood of Herat to Persian soil has been demanded, as a preliminary to the adjustment of differences to which the acts of Persia alone have given rise; but the demand has been evaded, and, according to the most recent accounts, a Persian army still invests Herat.

Friendly remonstrance having failed, and a reasonable requisition having been rejected or put aside, it becomes incumbent on the British Government to take measures by which the Persian Govern. ment shall be convinced that solemn engagements contracted with Great Britain may not be violated with impunity, and by which effectual guarantees against continuous breach of faith shall be secured.

To this end a force has been directed to assemble at Bombay, and will embark as soon as the necessary arrangements shall have been completed. The further operations of the force, after it shall have reached the Persian Gulf, will be guided by such instructions as the progress of events, and the policy of the British Government may demand.

By order of the Right Honourable the Governor-General in Council. :

G. F. EDMONSTONE, Secretary to the Government of India.

Proclamation.

Foreign Department, Fort William, November 1, 1856. THE Right Honourable the Governor-General of India in Council having, under instructions from Her Majesty's Government, directed that hostile operations against Persia shall forthwith be undertaken, is pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, that Persian merchant vessels which, at the time of the publication of this order, shall be in any ports or places in Her Majesty's Indian territories under the government of the East India Company, shall be allowed 30 days, from the date of the publication of this order, for loading their cargoes and departing from such ports or places; and that such Persian merchant vessels, if met at sea by any of the ships of the Indian navy, shall be permitted to continue their voyage, if on examination of their papers, it shall appear that their cargoes were taken on board before the expiration of the above term. Provided that nothing herein contained shall extend, or be taken to extend, to Persian vessels having on board any officer in the military service of the Persian Government, or any article prohibited or contraband of war, or any despatch of or to the Persian Government.

And it is hereby further ordered by the Right Honourable the Governor-General in Council, that any Persian merchant vesscl which, prior to the 1st day of November, 1856, shall have sailed from any foreign port, bound for any port or place in any of Her Majesty's Indian territories, shall be permitted to enter such port or place, and to discharge her cargo, and afterwards forthwith to depart without molestation; and that any such vessel met at sea by any of the ships of the Indian navy, shall be permitted to pursue her voyage.

The Right Honourable the Governors in Council of Madras and Bombay, the Honourable the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, the Commissioners of Pegu and of the Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, and all officers and authorities whom it may concern, in Her Majesty's Indian territories under the government of the East India Company, are required to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain.

By order of the Right Honourable the Governor-General of India in Council.

G. F. EDMONSTONE, Secretary to the Government of India.

Proclamation.

Foreign Department, Fort William, November 1, 1856. THE Right Honourable the Governor-General of India in Council being desirous that the hostile operations now about to be undertaken against Persia should be attended with as little injury as possible to individual interests, is pleased to notify that all subjects of the Shah of Persia residing within Her Majesty's Indian territories, under the government of the East India Company, and not being Consuls or Consular agents in the service of the Persian Government, may continue to reside therein without molestation in respect to their persons, their property, or their lawful avocations, and that they will enjoy protection so long as they shall abstain from all acts hostile to the British Government, and shall observe due obedience to the laws under which they live, and to all resolutions or orders of the Governor-General of India in Council.

By order of the Right Honourable the Governor-General of India in Council.

G. F. EDMONSTONE, Secretary to the Government of India.

No. 163.-The Earl of Clarendon to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. MY LORD, Foreign Office, December 18, 1856.

I HAVE to acquaint your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government entirely approve your proceedings with the Persian Ambassador respecting our differences with Persia, as reported in your despatch of the 30th of November, and its inclosures.

H.E. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

I am, &c.

CLARENDON.

No. 164.-Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to the Earl of Clarendon. (Received December 18.)

(Extract.)

Therapia, December 7, 1856.

I FORWARD herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Government, such further communications as have taken place since

I had last the honour of addressing your Lordship, between Ferokh Khan and myself.

The Earl of Clarendon.

STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE.

(Inclosure 1.)-Mr. Moore to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. MY LORD, Pera, December 1, 1856. THE Persian Ambassador, to whom Mr. Churchill and I communicated your Excellency's last instruction of the 30th ultimo, received the message with much apparent concern. However, he said that it required consideration, and that he could not return an answer immediately.

When I expressed a wish to know whether his answer would be of a satisfactory nature, he gave me to understand that he had not made up his mind regarding it.

I received to-day from Malcum Khan a letter addressed to me, which I have the honour to inclose herewith, returning the copy of the ultimatum given by your Excellency to the Persian Ambas sador, on the ground that it differed from the original version. During my interview to-day with the Persian Ambassador, I prevailed upon his Excellency to take it back, but not without considerable hesitation on his part. H.E. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

I have, &c.

LIONEL MOORE.

(Inclosure 2.)-Mr. Moore to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

MY LORD,

Pera, December 4, 1856.

I HAVE the honour to forward herewith Ferokh Khan's answer to your Excellency's last message, accompanied by a translation

made by Mr. Churchill.

H.E. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.

I have, &c.

LIONEL MOORE

(Inclosure 3.)-Ferokh Khan to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. (Translation.) 5 Rebiul-Sani, 1273. (December 4, 1856.) THE Persian Ministers being disposed to maintain friendly rela tions with the English Government, and the Ministers of Great Britain having made the withdrawal of the Persian troops from Herat the condition of their friendship, I pledged myself to the evacuation of that town. Added to this, when your Excellency proposed to me the acceptance of the ultimatum which had been sent to Tehran through the medium of the Persian Chargé d'Affaires, and which had been returned by the Persian Ministers, in compliance with your wishes I accepted that ultimatum by a written declaration, bearing the date of the 30th Rebiul-evvel.

with

Thus far I have done everything in my power to do away the pending difficulties, and, indeed, I have exceeded my instruc tions. Now, however, that my powers are exhausted, I beg to state