Coll 29/54 'Bushire: appointments as Political Agent of: 1) Lt Col T C W Fowle 2) Major C G Prior 3) Lt Col W R Hay' [‎45r] (91/483)

/
Minute Paper.
extebnal Department.
A**) *{1
Mr. Dqpaldson
Appointment of 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.
You will see from the Government of Indian telegram
No. 10536 below that they are proposing to replace Sir Geoffrey
Prior in the Spring by Colonel Hay. The Government of India do
not appear to have consulted us informally about this appointment
as they have done on previous occasions (see papers in the file
below) and have repeated their telegram to Tehran. In view of^ ^
H.M.G*s interest in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. which now An inwertant
mittrrn of policy n°that of the Government of
India, we have in recent years adopted the practice of consulting
the Foreign Office informally on this appointment.
Colonel Hay officiated as 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. from November
1941 to October 1942 while Sir Geoffrey Prior was at Cairo.
Apart from that spell he has had no experience either in Arabia
or Persia. Nearly all his time has been spent on the North West
Frontier except for a. spell as Counsellor at Kabul from 193^-
1936 and as Deputy Secretary, External Affairs Department from
1936 to 1940.
A possible alternative to Colonel Hay would have been
Colonel Galloway (bom 1901 and 8 years younger than Colonel Hay).
He has served as Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrein, Koweit and Muscat,
as Consul-General at Ahwaz from 1943-44 and has recently been
acting as 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. during Sir Geoffrey Prior* s absence
on leave. He has thus very considerable experience on both sides
of the Gulf. He was, I happen to know. Sir Geoffrey Prior* s own
recommendation for appointment as his successor. I do not know \
however whether you think it is desirable to take the question
\ip further with the Government of India, (if so, perhaps a
private telegram from Secretary of State to Viceroy would be the
best channel).
z&yAi-
U.S.S.
ifseems to have been agreed in 1932 that in view of the
close interest of various Imperial Departments in the post, the
Secretary of State should be consulted before the Viceroy reached
a decision. On this occasion the Government of India have
telegraphed officially their proposal to appoint Colonel Hay, and
leave H.M.G. only an opportunity to raise objections. I do not
think that we could well object to Colonel Hay’s selection
although (a) he has not a very high Arabic qualification and (b) he has
only another two years to serve before attaining the age limit of
55 . Sir G. Prior was definitely in favour of appointing a man of v*
under 45^0 could hold the post for at least five years.
Assuming however that it will be decided to accept the
Government of India's proposal, I attach a draft D. 0. letter to
the/
iTTo
(11704) Wt.2t569t}/K282 10,000 9/39 A.& KW.Ltd. Gp.685