File 3414/1906 Pt 4 'Persia: Arabistan telegraphs; Mohammerah-Ahwaz-Borasjun line' [‎184r] (372/382)

[This Docnment is the Property of His Britaonic Majest y's government.]
PERSIA AND ABABIA.
[September 7.]
CONEIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
No. 1.
Mr. des Graz to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—{Received September 7.)
(No. 112.)
My Lord, Gulahek, July 28, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship’s despatch No. 34
of the 25th April relative to the proposal that the Indo-European Telegraph Depart
ment should work the Borasjan-Ahwaz-Mohammerah and Ahwaz-Shuster-Dizful line on
the same terms as they work the Tehran-Meshed line.
As the proposal had originally originated from the Mukhbar-ed-Dowleh, I requested
Mr. Barker, Director of the Persian section of the Indo-European Telegraph Department,
to inform his Excellency privately of the substance of Lord George Hamilton’s letter of the
16th April.
His Excellency, while thanking for the offer to lend an European Inspecting Officer,
stated that, as the Ahwaz line was at present worked and paid for by him personally, and
not by the Persian Government, he could not afford the expense of entertaining so highly-
paid an official.
His Excellency stated, confidentially, that his great wish was to have the cost of the
maintenance of the Ahwaz line transferred from his shoulders to those of the Persian
Government, and that he hoped to succeed in this on the Shah’s return, and wished to
know whether he might count on the British Legation making representations to the
Persian Government in support of his proposal.
His Excellency further informed Mr. Wood that he thought that if the Persian
Government could be induced to pay an annual grant for the maintenance of the Ahwaz
line, in the same way that they now do for the Meshed line, the Indian Government might
then consider it expedient to make a small grant to cover the expenses of the European
Inspecting Officer, and thus ensure the line being kept in an efficient state.
I have, &c.
(Signed) C. DES GRAZ.
No. 2.
Mr. des Graz to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—{Received September 7.)
My Lord! Gulahek, August 14, 1902.
I HAVE the honour to report that on receipt of your Lordships telegram ot ihe
17 th July, I at once sent telegraphic instructions to His Majesty’s Consul at Mo ham-
merah to request the Sheikh’s co-operation in the suppression of piracy in the fchat-
I heard about a week later that Mr. Macdbuall had received my telegram and I then
instructed Mr. Grahame to carry out the second part of your Lordsffip s instructions by
calling on the Mushir-ed-Dowleh and, after representing the state of affairs on the ^hat-ei-
Arab, to request the dispatch of orders to the Sheikh to give every possible assistance to
the British gun-boat, so that she should not be obliged to remain at Mohammerah any longer
tlicin nccGSSciFy# • i i
The Mushir-ed-Dowleh listened carefullf to the message, and seemed particularly
desirous of being informed under what Treaty or Agreement His Majesty s Govern
ment was asking for the co-operation of the Persian Government to suppress P^Y-
Mr. Grahame replied that he was not in a position to give information on that po
and that he had merely been charged to deliver the message.
[2174 g —1]