‘A collection of treaties, engagements and sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries’ [‎27] (44/578)

PERSIA— Telegraphs.
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from Busliire to Julfa, the remaining one-third already belonging to the
Company hy virtue of Article 9 of the Concession of 1868 (Appendix
No. XXXI).
Gwattur Line. In 1868 a Convention (No. XXIX) was concluded,
hy which, in order to provide against any accident to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
cable, it was agreed that, in consideration of an annual payment of
3,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , the British Government should construct and work a
line of telegraph between Gwattur and a point between Jask and Bandar
Abbas. As originally drawn, this Convention expired in 1888; but, by
mutual declarations made in 1887 [see annexure to No. XXIX), it
was prolonged till 1905; in 1892 it was again prolonged till 1925;
while under the Agreement of 1913 (No. XXXV) it was again prolonged
up to 1945.
Khanikin-Bushire 3rd Line. The telegraph Convention of 1865
(No. XXVIII) expired in 1872, when it was renewed (No. XXX) for a
period of three months, after which a fresh Convention (No. XXXI)
for the construction of a third wire was signed. In this
Convention the British Government formally agreed to abide
by the arrangement made by the Persian Government with the
Indo-European Telegraph Company regarding the revenue derived from
the Indo-European traffic. The Persian Government, in consideration
of a fixed annual payment of 2,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , ceded to the British Govern
ment, for a period of three years, the entire Persian terminal tax on
international messages originating or terminating in Persia. After the
expiry of three years the Persian Government were left the option of
either accepting an annual payment calculated on the basis of two-thirds
of the average terminal receipts, or of claiming two-thirds of the receipts
from ail bond fide messages. In consequence of certain outrages and
damage caused to the line, it was also provided that the British employees
should be placed under the special protection of the local authorities,
and that the expense of repairing wilful damage to the line should be
borne by the Persian Government. In 1887 the Government of India
waived their claim to the yearly contribution payable under Article 10
of the Convention : and in the same year the terra of the Convention
which, as originally draw-n, would have expired in 1895, was prolonged
till 1905 by mutual declarations (see annexure to No. XXXI). In 1892
it was continued for a further period of twenty years while under the
Agreement of 1913 (No. XXXV) it was again prolonged up to 1945.
In 1915-16 the section of line between Shiraz and Bushire, maintained
by the Indo-European Telegraph Department under the 1872 Conven
tion, was considerably damaged and partially demolished by rebel
tribesmen. It was decided not to claim from the Persians the cost of
reconstruction.