File 345/1908 Pt 1 'Mohammerah: situation. British assurances to Sheikh.' [‎160r] (324/416)

arrangements/’ but Sir A. Hardinge preferred to reserve any strong remonstrance until
we were confronted with some definite act of encroachment bv the Persian Government
itself. Further interference on the part of the Customs authorities, coupled with the
activity of M. Bussiere, a doctor in the employ of the Customs Department, and
attached to the Drench Vice-Consulate, and also, as subsequently appeared, to the
Russian Consulate, at Bushire, again raised the question in an acute form. Repre
sentations were made by Sir A. Hardinge to the Persian Government and to M. Nans,
the Head of the Persian Customs, with the result that in September 1901 the Grand
Vizier promised to send telegraphic orders to Bushire that the Custom-house officers
should abstain from interfering in the quarantine administration of the Gulf ports.
The actual text of the instructions sent to the Director-General of Customs, Bushire,
was as follows: “You are to abstain as far as possible from all interference with
quarantine. Recommend this especially to Bussidre. At the same time this does not
deprive you of the right to report to Tehran any steps by the quarantine officials
which may be prejudicial to the Persian Government.” The Grand Vizier told Sir A.
Hardinge at the same time that he proposed to reopen the question on M. Nans’
return from leave. Nothing further was done, however, and the settlement of the
case remained for the time being undisturbed.
Arising out of these incidents, Sir A. Hardinge, in a despatch dated the
16th August, 1901, proposed that, in order to strengthen our position, the Govern
ment of India should decide “ (1) itself to pay the salaries of the Indian doctors in
the Gulf ports; and (2) to depute for these duties European rather than, as at
present, native Indian assistant surgeons.” The Government of India doubted the
advantage of raising the former point, unless it was pressed by the Persian Govern
ment ; they considered, moreover, that the “ delegation of quarantine functions to
British-paid officials seems to involve greater derogation from Shah’s dignity than
employment of British officers paid by Persian Government.” The latter recom
mendation, however, was accepted, and the Government of India telegraphed, on the
31st December, 1901, that steps were being taken to provide “ suitable Europeans to
replace the present assistant surgeons at Mohammerah and Bunder Abbas as soon as
possible,” and that it was also proposed “ to carry out a like change at other ports in
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. if suitable men can be obtained.” In March 1905 the Government
of India were able to report that the necessary measures had been taken in regard
to Mohammerah and Bunder Abbas, and that arrangements were being made for
similar action in respect of the other ports.
During the year 1906 the question was again to the front. In the middle of
September the Darya Begi, Governor of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , wrote to the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent.
Surgeon at Bushire, in his capacity as Chief Quarantine Officer for the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
informing him that the Persian Government would require the Persian flag, as well
as the quarantine flag, to be flown, not only on all boats employed in quarantine
work, but also on all ships undergoing quarantine in Persian ports. This step w r as
believed to be the outcome of the action of the Russian Consul-General, who had
informed the Darya Begi that Russian vessels would, in future, recognize no
quarantine authority unless covered by tbe Persian flag, and that no correspondence
would be carried on with the quarantine authorities in English, but only in Persian
or French. A similar communication was made by the German Consul. JNegotia-
tions took place between tbe British Eegation and the Persian Government, with the
result that the latter tacitly dropped the requirement that ships in quarantine should
fly the Persian flag, on finding that it urns contrary to the general practice in other
countries. They showed a disposition, however, to maintain their attitude as regards
the flying of the Persian flag by boats engaged in quarantine duties.
In December 1906 the Russian ship “ Trouvor ” refused, on the advice of the
Russian Consulate, to admit the quarantine officer on board at Bunder Abbas to carry
out the inspection laid down by the Venice Convention. The same thing occurred^ a
Lingah, but at Bushire the “Trouvor” fulfilled the usual formalities. The Russian
Minister at Tehran at first attempted to argue that the conduct of M. Ovseen vo,
the Russian Consul at Bunder Abbas, was perfectly correct, but he finally agreed o
send a telegram to M. Ovseenko enjoining a general compliance with the quarantme
rules. Eventually it was settled between the British and Russian Ministers that the
question should be disposed of by the Tehran Sanitary Council, and, on her return to
Bunder Abbas the “ Trouvor” accepted the inspection of the Sanitary Officer.
Further instances of interference on the part of M. Ovseenko occuire m
March 1907, in connection with tbe British steamer “ Madura ” and the Russian
steamer “ Euphrates.”
Sir A.
Harding’s
to Lord
Lans-
downe,
September
8, 1904.
Sir A.
Hai'dinge
to Lord
Lans-
downe,
August 16,
1904.
Viceroy’s
telegram of
October 27,
1904.