File 364/1913 'Persia: situation in Fars (attack on 39th Central India Horse)' [‎32r] (68/522)

V
No. 31^ dated Bushire, the 5th (received 13th) January 1913.
From— Likutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., 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. , Bushire,
To—'The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department, Delhi.
In continuation of my letter No. 3534, dated December 29th, I have the
honour to forward, for the information of the Government of India, copies as
per attached list of further telegraphic correspondence, regarding the situation
at Shiraz and in Ears, which has taken place during the past week.
Lid of correspondence.
1. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 72, dated 30th December 1912.
2. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 73, dated 30th December 1912.
3. Minister to Resident, No. 313, dated 31st December 1912.
4. Minister to Resident, No. 314, dated 31st December 1912.
5. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 1, dated 2nd January 1913.
6. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 2, dated 2nd January 1918.
7. Resident to Minister, No. 3—9, dated 3rd January 1913,
8. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 3, dated 3rd January 1913.
9. Resident to Minister, No. 5—13, dated 4th January 1913.
10. Resident to Minister, No. 6 14, dated 4th January 1913.
11. Resident to Minister, No. 8—16, dated 4th January 1913.
12. Resident to Minister, No. 10—22, dated 4th January 1913.
13. Consul, Shiraz, to Resident, No. 5, dated 5th January 1918.
Telegram P., No. 72, dated and received the 30th December 1912.
From—Consul, Shiraz,
To—Resident, Bushire. (Repetition of telegram No. 222 to Minister.)
Arrears of payment due to troops.
In continuation of my telegram No. 63, I have the honour to state that
one of the Governor-General’s Secretaries came on the 29th to see me on this
subject.
Secretary read me a long telegram which the Governor-General had sent
to the cabinet some days ago. In this he explained that (as far as I can gather)
some 36,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. are due to the troops here in respect of arrears of pay, and
he appeals in strong terms to the cabinet to give him assistance in clearing off
tliis obligation. He points out how impossible it is for him to inaugurate the
new financial arrangements whilst these arrears remain unpaid, and are daily
growing.
He asks me to beg you to do what is possible to assist him in this matter.
His proposal is that an assignment should be granted to him on the revenues of
the province for the ensuing financial year for total of requirements from which
he will be able to satisfy the men’s claims. Of course it is not desirable that
any such charge should be imposed on next year’s revenues, but failing some
such arrangement, I do not see how the men are to be paid, and neither the
new army nor the new system of finance can be properly organized as long as
these arrears remain unpaid, and some hundreds of discontented soldiers, with
daily growing grievances, remain here to embarrass the administration.
If you could see your way to ascertain the views of the Persian Govern
ment and the Treasurer-General on the matter, or to devise some other means
of settling the difficulty, I should be grateful.
I understand there are other arrears due to the police, etc., but as the
Governor-General has not referred to them, I suppose they are not so pressing.