File 1912/897 Pt 1 ‘Persian Gulf. British post offices [also in Turkish Arabia]’ [‎178r] (360/462)

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o
Enclost
ry, India. 1
No. 432, dated Bushii
94 k- t^*^ived
the 17th) February 1913.
From— Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I, Political Resi
dent in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, Simla,
In continuation of my immediately preceding letter I have the honour to
offer for the consideration of Government some observations with regard to
postal arrangements in the sphere of this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. outside Persia, and to
submit certain suggestions in reference thereto.
2 . Gwadur . An Indian Post Office has been in existence at Gwadur since
1868: it is a combined sub-post office M i.e. t the postmaster undertakes
telegraphic as well as postal work. ^ Indian inland rates are charged and the
Post office is included^ in the Imperial penny postage scheme. I have no
f-® make in regard to this office: the present somewhat primitive
arrangements by which mails for Charbar, in Persian territory, are landed at
Gwadur and taken to Charbar, and vice versa, by telegraph linesmen, will cease,
if, as suggested elsewhere, an Indian Post Office is opened at Charbar.
3. Maskat .—This office was established on 1st May 1864.
Indian inland rates are charged and the office is one of those included in
the Imperial penny postage scheme.
I have no suggestions to offer in regard to this office.
4. Bahrain .—This office was established in 1884: it is inconveniently
accommodated at present in the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. building and in connection with the
erection of a new residence and office for the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , further suggestions
will be made in regard to accommodation for the post office, which has already
been under the consideration of Government.
The only point which calls for specific notice is that commission at 2 per cent
has been charged since 1890 on money orders issued by or payable at this
office. The increase appears to have been effected at the instance of the British
India Steam Navigation Company, who complained that large sums of specie were
being carried in the mail bags between Bahrain and Bushire causing loss to
themselves in freight and a great increase in responsibility.
I am inclined to think that the time has now come for a reconsideration
of this restriction of post office business at the expense of British Indian merchants
and of the general public.
In the first place, the British India Steam Navigation Company, now only
charge ^ per cent on specie carried to Bombay from Bahrain and the post office
would be therefore in no wise competing unfairly with them by charging
1 per cent.
In the second place, there sterns no sufficient reason to discriminate in this
matter against Bahrain, whereps the Government of India are aware, our mer
chants already have many difficulties to contend with.
I am consulting the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain, and the Superintendent of
Post Offices, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Division, on this point and will address Government
further on receipt of their views.
5. Dehai. —In 1905 several leading merchants of Debai represented to the
British India Steam Navigation Company the inconvenience entailed to them by
the lack of postal facilities, and in 1906 they renewed their representations to this
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , In reply to a request for his views on the proposal that a post office
be opened at Debai, the Postmaster-General, Bombay, informed the Resident,
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , as departmental supervision though costly, was not effective,
and the question of accommodation presented frequent difficulties.
In August 1906, the Postmaster-General arranged for the despatch to
Debai of unregistered fully prepaid letters (at Indian inland rates) m a special
bag and in November 1908 the Government of India sanctioned a proposal that
the Native Agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. of the British India Steam Navigation Company at Debai should
^ oe o font Q H VP mPaCllfP
•No. 38759, dated 16th March 1906.
that the Indian Postal Department was
opposed to an extension of their operations
No. 3446 -E.A., dated nth November 1908,
act as Postmaster as a tentative measure
at a remuneration of Rs. 15 per month.