Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 98 Navy and Railroad

Nasser al-Din was generally satisfied with the finances of 1848, indicating that Iran had recovered from the effects of the civil war and was back on the fast track.

Moreover, the Iranian trading company brought him a surge in income to 60,000 riyals last year, and I heard that Lawrence has started a plantation in Somalia, which will surely boost the local economy soon.

“Shah, those two brothers have already gone to India with the funds we gave them. All the terms have been agreed upon with them. Regardless of whether they make a profit or a loss, they will completely switch careers in five years and never be involved in the trade of this stuff again.”

Naserdin grunted in agreement. Whether they did it themselves or not, he didn't want anything to do with it. The Self-Strengthening Movement hadn't started yet, and even the second son of God hadn't revolted; their need for other things was minimal, so this was all they could do.

"Allah, I hope you will forgive my mistakes, and the future will surely bring you different changes," Nasser al-Din thought to himself.

"Let's not talk about that. I'm going to Qom in a few days. You can make the arrangements."

After receiving the order, Said made the arrangements, and the next step was the usual meeting between the monarch and his ministers.

Since railways require substantial funding, the annual allocation of over 300 million yuan is no longer sufficient. Furthermore, direct government control over all railway lines would be inconvenient. It would be better for the railway bureau to lead the establishment of a railway company specifically responsible for railway construction, which could also raise funds through public offerings.

"This must be implemented properly. I know you are all a bit tired, but we can't stop now. If we don't get up, then the Russians will probably be whipping us to work for them."

Everyone was aware of the threat posed by Tsarist Russia, and also knew the vital importance of telegraphs and railways. Tabriz was close to the border, and with important military factories located there, the Tehran Railway had become a priority in national development.

"Shah, don't worry. The railway from Tehran to Tabriz is expected to open next year. In addition, the telegraph network is being expedited, which will make it much easier for people to travel in the future."

“Good, good. Two years have passed since Father swore to revitalize the country. The successive kings of Iran have been watching. This land will eventually be different.”

Many times, decisions are made by Nasser al-Din on a whim. Of course, the ministers are also shrewd and know the Shah's original intentions. How to proceed is up to them.

"By the way, has the negotiation with Britain regarding the purchase of warships been finalized?"

Pezeshkian immediately said, "Shah, the British ambassador has already reported back the information; this is the situation of the warships."

Naserdin carefully examined the ship's specifications. Since steam power hadn't yet been applied to ships at this time, they were still sailing warships. The British-recommended sailing warships were the most common type, displacing 1630 tons, 52 meters long, 14 meters wide, with a draft of 7 meters, capable of carrying 700 crew members and 74 cannons. The cost reached 85 riyals.

“Shah, such ships would be a revitalization for the Iranian Navy. With them, we can have our own naval power,” Amir said. But Nasser al-Din had some reservations. “This is good, but we can’t develop too quickly, or Britain will think Iran is trying to take over India. As long as we can maintain coastal security, that’s enough.”

This is unavoidable; as the jewel in the crown of the British Empire, any move that threatens India will irritate the sensitive and fragile nerves of London.

However, Iran also had its own maritime defense needs. Pirates along the Persian Gulf and East African coasts needed to be eradicated, and merchant ships required naval escort. Without a navy, it was impossible to operate, so it consulted with Britain to see what their maximum tolerance level was.

The Iranian navy's most glorious moment was arguably the Greco-Persian Wars over two thousand years ago. The Persian King Xerxes personally led an expedition against Greece. After thorough preparation, in 480 BC, Persia assembled an army of 18 men and over 1400 warships carrying 17.5 naval troops, totaling over 30 soldiers. Several hundred transport ships were also deployed to deliver supplies. The army, using boats as bridges, crossed the Dardanelles Strait and reached Greek soil, advancing south along the coast. They were then defeated by the Greek navy.

The navy of the Sassanid and Safavid dynasties was still passable, but by now it consisted of only a few small boats, subsidized by fishing rather than receiving funding from above. It hardly qualifys as a navy; it's more like a fishing boat fleet. Even Constantine XI's navy was better.

Nasserdin rolled his eyes; it seemed rebuilding the navy was a long and arduous task. He only began gradually increasing the naval budget after taking office, but the government still prioritized the army, so purchasing two naval warships and preparing to open a naval academy was already quite an achievement.

Since the south is out of the question, could Iran try sailing in the Caspian Sea in the north? No, according to the treaty, Iran cannot have warships in the Caspian Sea; only Russia can.

It's frustrating. Neither the north nor the south works. The Iranian navy can only watch their development; sometimes, you have no choice but to bow down.

"Forget it, there's no point in rushing it. Let's tell our British ambassador to discuss it with the British government and place the order as soon as possible."

Everyone says that buying is worse than making, but at least for now, you still have to buy, otherwise you can't even make it yourself.

Moreover, Britain was very strict about the shipyard's equipment and would not sell it no matter how much they negotiated or what price they offered. There was no other way but to buy it from France.

Of course, the most important factor is the inconvenient transportation. From Europe to Iran, besides passing through the Ottoman Empire, the only other option is to go around the Cape of Good Hope. This round trip takes a lot of time, meaning even buying it would be a lengthy process. So, let's build it.

Moreover, the practice of "it's better to buy than to build, and better to rent than to buy" appears in hindsight as merely transferring funds from one pocket to another. Whether the funds flow domestically or internationally, it is nothing more than a short-sighted and unprofitable transaction for the long-term interests of the nation. This short-sighted calculation ignores a more important long-term goal: technological independence and innovation.

Latin American and later African countries fell into this predicament, or, to take a closer look at the Ottoman Empire, they tended to acquire the resources and wealth they needed through trade and purchase rather than through their own production and manufacturing. This strategy enabled the Ottoman Empire to accumulate vast amounts of wealth and resources in a short period, but it also limited the empire's long-term development and capacity for independent innovation.

(End of this chapter)