File 80/1913 Pt 2 'Persia: Telegraphs' [‎213r] (430/818)

Article II.
In order that the line of telegraph may be constructed in a complete and effective manner,
the Persian Government agrees that it shall be built under the direction and supervision of
the British Telegraph Stall now controlling the international line in Persia, the British
Government advancing to the Persian Government the salaries and allowances of the men
actually employed on the work.
Article III.
The British Government agrees to procure for the Persian Government at a reasonable
price all the posts, wire, insulators, Ac., that may be requisite for this work, and to arrange
for the carriage of the stores to the sites required, receiving payment for the same without
interest as hereinafter provided. An account of the expenses incurred for this purpose,
and certified, in so far as they have been incurred in Persia, by the Persian Telegraph
Department, and in so far as they have been incurred outside Persia, by the British
Government, shall be submitted as early as possible to the Persian Government.
Article IV.
The Persian Government agrees to lease the use and the transit revenue of the line, which
is its property, when complete to the Indo-European Telegraph Department at a rental of
4 per cent, on the capital expended on its construction, including cost of material—three
quarters of such rental to be retained by the British Government to recoup them for the
advances made, and one quarter, subject to a minimum of 25,000 francs, to be paid annually
to the Persian Government in two half-yearly instalments. It is understood that should the
Persian Government’s quarter share of the rental exceed 25,000 francs, such excess shall
belong to the Persian Treasury.
Article V.
The maintenance of the line, including repairs and the appointment, control, and payment
of the line guards, who must be Persian subjects, shall remain in the hands of the British
Director and Staff, the cost being defrayed by the British Government. The duties of the
Telegraph Inspectors and line guards are strictly confined to repairing and maintaining the
line.
Article VI.
The principal offices constituting the permanent residences of the British Electricians and
Inspectors shall be situated in towns or large villages, but pending further arrangements to
be agreed upon between the two Governments, there shall only be one such office between
Kerman and the Indian frontier.
The protection of the line and of the officials, whether Persian or British, employed on it,
shall be the special duty of the Persian Government, and should the English officials wish to
proceed on inspections in districts proclaimed as dangerous by the Persian Government, they
shall inform the nearest local authority, in order that they may be provided^ with an escort.
The telegraph stations shall be built according to plans approved by the Persian Government,
and in towns the houses to be used as such stations shall, wherever possible, be rented.
Article VII.
The line will be of three wires. One wire will be used by the Persian Telegraph
Administration for its local work, and the remaining two wires be for international traffic as
provided in Articles IV., V., and VI. of the 1872 Convention.
Article VIII.
The revenue derived from the local traffic on the Persian wire shall belong entnely to the
Persian Government. By local traffic is meant messages originating at one Persian station
and terminating at another Persian station.
Article IX.
As regards International messages originating or terminating in Persia, the Persian
Government shall receive two-thirds of the receipts of all bona fide terminal messages.
And as regards transit messages, as this line is merely an alternative one to that now
existing between Tehran and Bushire, the arrangement already made, as detailed ^ in
Article VIII of the 1872 Convention, will remain as at present. State telegrams passing
between the Government of India and the British Minister at Tehran shall be sent at
half rates.
Article X.
In view of the erection of the new line and of the increase of telegraph stations in Eastern
Persia, and in order to facilitate intercourse with them, the Indo-European lelegiap i
Department shall place an additional wire along the existing line between Tehran and Kasfian,
and the expenses of procuring, transporting, and putting up this wire will be borne by the
Persian Government in the manner provided by Articles II. and 1\. of this Convention.