Office of the Historian

Mr. Sperry to Mr. Gresham.

Legation of the United States,
Teheran, Persia, July 5, 1893. (Received August 11.)
No. 62.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you herewith a copy and translation of a note which I have just received from the minister for foreign affairs in regard to the representation of Persia in the “mixed [Page 509] tribunals” of Egypt. The note fully explains itself. Assuming the facts to be as stated by the Kavam-ed-Dowlah, I beg to add that his note appears to me to be an appropriate and just statement of the matter, while the matter itself is evidently of serious importance to the Persian Government. I am assured that the request for assistance from the Government of the United States is made with confidence, and I sincerely hope that due consideration by the Department of the request will show that the way is clear to render this assistance.

I have, etc.,

Watson E. Sperry.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 62.—Translation.]

Minister for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Sperry.

Your Excellency: It will be in your recollection that the present agreement between the great powers of Europe and the Government of the Khedive of Egypt relating to the judicial business in the mixed tribunals will expire in February next.

In connection with this subject I beg to inform your excellency that the Persian embassy in Constantinople has frequently protested through the Persian diplomatic agent, resident in Egypt, against the refusal of the Government of the Khedive to allow of the appointment of a Persian member to sit in this court. Your excellency is already aware that there is a large colony of Persians in Egypt who, on account of the wide extent of their business and the variety of their occupations, have very important matters requiring consideration.

The Government of the Khedive has admitted to this tribunal the representatives of countries whose subjects, residing in Egypt, are few in number, and consequently their business is of no serious account.

Up to the present moment the Government of the Khedive has neither given any reason nor produced any convincing arguments in support of its policy and behavior toward Persia regarding this subject.

A formal treaty now subsisting between Persia and Turkey provides for the attendance of a Persian member on all the mixed tribunals throughout Turkey.

It is requested, with the greatest respect, that when the treaty relating to the reappointment of the mixed tribunals shall be under discussion you will endeavor to direct the particular attention of your excellency’s Government to the refusal of the Government of the Khedive to recognize the undoubted right of Persia to participate in this arrangement. I feel sure that your excellency’s Government will appreciate, with the greatest facility, and also admit, the evident right of Persia in this matter.

I take advantage of this opportunity, etc.

Dated the month Zilhejjeh, A. H. 1310.

[Seal of the Kavam-ed-Dowlah.]