Persia / [prepared ... under the direction of K. Mason].

  • Great Britain. Naval Intelligence Division
Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Persia / [prepared ... under the direction of K. Mason]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    750/864 (page 550)
    the north snow interrupted work altogether for short periods in winter. The whole line, 286-6 miles long in the north and 574-6 miles in the south, was completed in 11 years. A general description of the route is given on pp. 558-9, 567-8. (b) The North-western Line. The second line to be undertaken was the north-western. The difficulties of construction were very much less in the first sections and the line was opened to Kazvin (go miles) in March 1940, to Zenjan (total 196 miles) in October the same year, and to Mianeh (total 273 miles) by the end of 1942. This line is being constructed section by section by contract under the Ministry of Com- munications, and there is much more difficult country to be penetrated before Tabriz is reached. No work appears to have been started yet on the branch-line to link with the Turkish system, but it is proposed to take it from a point between Mianeh and Maragheh by Rizaieh (Urmia) and Shahpur (Dilman) to Kotur. The Turkish line will be dependent on a train-ferry across Lake Van. A general description of the route from Tehran to Tabriz is given on p. 572; that of the old Russian line from Tabriz to Julfa on pp. 574-5. _ (c) The North-eastern Line is also being constructed by contract under the Ministry of Communications. The line was completed to Shahrud (195 miles) by the end of 1941 and, except for laying the rails, to Shahr-i-Staneh, 125 miles beyond Shahrud. Construction was then proceeding on the remaining portion to Meshed (pp. 576-9). (d) The South-eastern Line will take off from Qum, earthworks have been completed to within 40 miles of Yezd, a survey has been made as far as Kirman, and a preliminary reconnaissance to Zahidan, but no track has yet been laid. Certainly at present there would be insufficient peace-time traffic to warrant an extension to Zahidan, but it is possible that such a through route might stimulate trade between India and Persia and it has been suggested that it would tap certain prospective mining areas. At present south-eastern Persia is best connected with Tehran by the eastern highway through Birjand (Routes [4], [5]). Progress since I940 The crisis in Middle Eastern affairs caused by the fall of France in 1940, the fighting in Syria and Iraq and the German attack on Russia in 1941, and the infiltration of German agents into Persia, all com- bined to necessitate intervention in Persian administration by both” Russia and Great Britain. The single line of railway from the Persian Gulf to the Caspian became of immediate importance as a supply route to Russia. By the end of 1941 a British Transportation Direc- a) i: