File 395/1908 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Katif; British-Indian commercial interests at Katif ' [‎110r] (69/195)

Dated Therapia, the 28th August 1 . 905 .
From— Sir N. R. O'Conor, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. [Knight] Grand Cross of [the Order of] St Michael and St George (accolade). , His Majesty’s Ambassador, Con-
stantmople,
To—F. E. Crow, Esq., His Britannic Majesty’s Consul, Basrah.
With reference to Mr. Townley’s confidential despatch of September 10th
1904, and to Acting Consul-General Monahan’s reply No. 57 of the 21st of
October of the same year, I transmit to
you, herewith, copy of a Notice which
1 have received from the Sublime Porte in
to them by His Majesty’s Embassy on
the British Indian traders by the Katif
Sublime Porte’s Notice, No. 62358, dated
24th August 1905.
answer to the representations made
the subject of the treatment of
Customs.
The Prememoria from the British Embassy referred to in the Sublime
Porte’s “Notice ” did not state, as the wording of the note would appear to
imply, that the Bs. 25,000 was the specific total of the sums due to British
Indian traders for excess of import duty paid on deposit to the local Customs,
but that it was calculated that in the year lu03 that amount had been extorted
from British Indian traders under this head. The Prememoria also said that
in 1899, after a prolonged correspondence, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. had only succeeded in obtaining a refund of Rs. 5,012 out
of a sum of Rs. 15,000 claimed by British Indian subjects who had appealed
to him.
The sum of Rs. 2,821 cited in the enclosed communication from the
Sublime Porte as being the amount claimed by the Indian merchants them
selves would appear to tally with the total of the claims the particulars of
which were obtained in September 1904 by the Assistant 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. at
Bahrein and formed the first enclosure in Mr Monahan’s above-mentioned
despatch. You will observe that Mr. Monahan reported that the Acting Vali
had assured him that he had instructed the Mutessarif of El Hassa to recover
these sums and to abstain from levying such charges in the future.
You will observe that the Sublime Porte state that the reason why these
claims have not been paid is that the Indian traders have not yet presented to
the Custom House the properly legalised certificates of Ottoman Consuls in
India proving that the goods exported were really delivered at an Indian
destination. I consider that the production of these certificates is now im
material in our ease as the Acting Yali of Basrah has admitted the justice
of the claims by instructing the Mutessarif of El Hassa to recover the money,
and the question is merely raised by the Ottoman Government as a pretext
for further delaying payment.
It would, however, be advisable to ascertain from the Assistant Political
Agent at Bahrein whether the Indian traders have furnished these certifi
cates to the Katif Customs when applying for the refund of the excess duty
deposited by them, or, in the event of their not having done so, then to advise
them to fulfil this formality, if possible, in order to facilitate the return of
monies unduly levied.
Notice No. 62358, 21 Aout 1905.
Le Gouverneur General du Vilayet de Bassorah interpelle sur les faits
mentionnes dans le promemoria et la notice de I’Ambassade de Sa Majeste
Britannique en date de 5 Juillet et 25 Septembre 1904 fait savoir en reponse,
sur les renseignements fournis par le Gouverneur du Nejd que les Autorites
de Katif ne souleveut aucun obstacle a la liberte de commerce des sujets
Anglais trafiquant dans ces parages et que, si les sommes retenues en depdt
dans la douane locale pour des marchandises expoitees et qui, d’apres les
negociantes eux-m 6 mes, s’elhvent a 2,821 r oupies et non pas a 25,000 roupies
ainsi qu’il a ete dit dans le promemoria precite, n’ont pas encore ete restitutes,
c’est parceque les dits negociants n’ont pu presenter jusqu’ici Et la douane les
certificats voulus dument legalises par un des Consulats Ottomans dans les
Indes. Les depdts en question leur seront naturellement restituts aussitot que
les certificats dont il s’agit et les regus dela douane relatifs a ces depots seront
remis aux autorites douanieres. Neanmoins, les Autorites de Bassorah n out
pas manque de donner de nouveaux ordres au Caimakam de Katif pour
qu’aucune entrave ne soit apportee a la liberte de commerce des sujets de Sa
Majestt Britannique et que les fermiers s’abstienent de tout acte pouvant
provoquer leurs plaintes.