File 5184/1913 Persian Gulf: status of Bushire Residency [‎88r] (180/390)

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officials to deal with their work. At Korman ^ n T ..
and carpet firms we have no Vice-Consul to assist the Consul 1113117 Indlan traderS
t , m y °P? nion European Officers at Shiraz are totally unnecessary
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15. I am of opinion that a Vice-Consul who would spend his winters in Bushire
and his summers m Shiraz and visit each place when necessary could competently
do the work assisted by an Indian official serving under him resident in each place
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The Indian Pro-Consul already exists in Shiraz ; an officer of a similar type
m Bushire is all that is necessary or m any way required under the Vice-Consul. ^
16. The Muhammerah Vice-Consulate is one that must essentially be held by an
officer from India. Apart from the large amount of semi-judicial arbitration work
m which he is engaged the greater part of his work is connected with Indians.
Last year he issued for the Government of India the following passports
certificates of identity for British Indian passage passes (used for employees of the
Anglo Persian Oil Company) and visas—
Certificates of Identity and passage passes .. .. 1 , 7$5
Visas .. .. 585
Permits for permission to come to Persia .. .. 180
New passports to British Indian Subjects .. .. 57
Renewal of Government of Indian passports .. 263
He also issued for Iraq the following :—
Certificates of Identity for Iraq and British Indian
Subjects .. .. .. .. .. 427
Visas .. .. .. .. .. 1,946
During the same time he renewed 308 Foreign Office passports.
To do his work a knowledge of Hindustani and of the Indian races and customs
is essential.
17. I would then recommend that 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. and the Consul
General with all his staff should move from Busire to Muhammerah.
In these circumstances with the nearness of Ahwaz to Muhammerah it would
be possible to do all the work now requiring two officers at Ahwaz, with one officer
with the addition of one European confidential clerk to the Resident’s staff to
enable the Secretary or Under-Secretary to proceed to Ahwaz when necessary.
18. The administrative advantages of Muhammerah for the Resident are
manifold.
The first is that it will in time be on the railway and thus whether we decided
to move now or not we should eventually have to do so.
Secondly its position obviates all the difficulties of a bad port. Ships lie
within a few hundred yards of what would be the 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. and we have none of
the difficulties of reaching a ship or landing at the port on arrival a matter which
more than compensates for the small disadvantage of the extra hours steaming
to reach the Gulf ports.
Thirdly my work brings me into contact with the Iraq Officials and the Air
Force and is likely to do so more and more as the Air line develops. At Muham
merah contact is easy. We are only 19 miles from Basrah at Bushire it is dimcu t.
Fourthly Muhammarah is healthy and has accommodation available built
by the Anglo Persian Oil Company.
Fifthly one of the most important advantages in my mind, the Consul General
and staff are near to and in communication with both Persia and Peisian cla
and the Arab side of the world. They meet both Persian and Arab problems and
are in touch,