File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.' [‎12r] (28/488)

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No. 3516, dated Busliire, the 13th (received 22nd) December 1908.
Prom— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., 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. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
I have the honour to refer to the correspondence ending with Foreign
Department letter No. 3614-E. B., dated 16th September 1907, on the subject
of the concessions held by the “ Sponge Exploration Syndicate”.
2. Since that date I have periodically enquired of Hatinoglou’s Bushire
acquaintance Mr. T. J. Malcolm (Messrs. Strick’s Agent) what news he had
of the Syndicate, and regarding Mr. Hatinoglou’s intentions; and Mr. Malcolm
informed me up to quite recently that he bad had no news whatever from
him for months past, and that he supposed that the project must have been
abandoned.
On 23rd September, Mr. Malcolm informed Captain Trevor confidentially
that Messrs. Strick had desired him to obtain standard samples of sponges
obtainable in the Gulf, and asked that our Agent at Lingah might be asked
to help him to get them. Khan Saheb Agha Badr was accordingly instructed
to try and obtain some samples and to send them to 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. .
On 29th September, Mr. Malcolm stated that Messrs. Strick now cabled
that Hatinoglou had lost the concession and enquired whether he, Mr. Malcolm,
thought it worth acquiring.
On 22nd October, Mr. Malcolm reported that Messrs. Strick now inform
ed him that Mehdi Khan, Persian Charge d’Affaires in London, held the
concession and that as the people to whom he had first granted the right to
work it had not done anything, he had cancelled it and was naturally anxious
to get somebody else to take it up. They asked Mr. Malcolm’s advice and
repeated the previous request for samples.
On 2nd December, Mr. Malcolm forwarded a copy of a memorandum which
he had received from Mr. Strick under cover of a letter, dated 13th November,
and asked mv Tiews on the subject. In reply I advised him to recommend
Messrs. Striek to consult His Majesty’s Foreign Office, and request them to
c-iuse such instructions for the accord of co-operation to be issued to me as they
might consider called for. A copy of Messrs. Strick’s memorandum referred
to is attached.
o T rermest that Mr. Malcolm’s commnnications may be treated con-
fidentiaUv, e< ottmi'wise there may be danger of his getting into hot water with
Messrs Strick, and hesitating to furnish me with early information in future.
^nd February 1906. It_ would appear that it has now ^een c ^ ed >
clause 3, and the concession given to Mirza Mehdi Khan, rersiaa w.ai 3 e
d ’ A nTorobable thatMessrs. Strick have been keeping His Majesty’s Foreign
OfficI informed of their negociations, hut I submrt the present information
m order c *° “^ e th . g commun i oa tion is being forwarded to His Majesty’s
Minister. —
For Messrs. A. and T. J . Malcolm.
Sponge Concession.
-i i. £ a civnrJipfifo to obtain a License for a number of
It is proposed to form ? Persian Charge d’Affaires in London, who
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