On Tuesday Lord Lansdowne made a remarkable declaration in the House of Lords with regard to our position on the Persian Gulf. The matter arose out, of the Bagdad railway business, concerning ich a question was addressed to the Foreign Secretary by Lord Lamington. With regard to the Bagdad railway negotiations it appears from his reply that the only negotiations—if such they can be called—entered into by the British Government took place with British fin: What was the result of those negotiations we had already learnt from Mr. Balfour. His Majesty's Government {were prepared to support' a scheme for 2 really international line, but when it became apparent that Germany was to have 'a decided preponderance of control the matter dropped. Tf fresh proposals on an international basis are made, no doubt the Government will be prepared to consider them. Lord Lansdowne went on to tell us that with regard to the South of Persia we have a " binding arrangement with Persia that whenever railw contructed there, we shall have the struct them. All this, however, was of quite minor importance compared with Lord Lai equivocal declaration of our intentions in regard to the
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