File 6391/1928 'Persia and the Persian Gulf: method of counteracting Soviet activities on Persia and the Persian Gulf' [‎31r] (62/157)

[This Document is Lhe Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government. 1
PERSIA. November 20, 1928.
CONFIDENTIAL. ' Section 1.
*•' ^ '
L E 5503/35/34] No. 1.
Mr. Parr to Lord Cushendun.—(Received November 20.)
(No. 467. Confidential.)
My Lord, Tehran, November 3, 1928.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a copy of an interesting
despatch which His Majesty’s consul at Shiraz has addressed to the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . I agree with Mr. Chick that the political aspect of
the Soviet Government’s trading and shipping activities in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and its
hinterland is worthy of attention. I presume that Sir Lionel Haworth will suggest
what steps he considers most appropriate to meet and check, in so far as may be
possible, the propaganda which the Soviets may conduct on both the Persian and the
Arab coasts of the Gulf.
2. Mr. Chick refers to the facilities granted by the Persian Government for
the payment in Tehran of the duty leviable on Russian goods landed in the Gulf ports
from Russian vessels. On first receipt of this information, I made a point of
ascertaining that such dues would in effect be paid to the credit of the Southern
Customs, and that the lien of His Majesty’s Government on the Southern Customs
was in no way affected. The general manager of the Imperial Bank of Persia, with
whom I discussed the matter, seemed in no way concerned with the facilities granted,
but it is, of course, open to me to notify the Persian Government that similar
privileges for British firms might be claimed by His Majesty's Legation at a future
date if any advantage is to be gained thereby.
I have, &c.
R. C. PARR.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Consul Chick to Lieutenant-Colonel Haworth.
(No. 861. Confidential.)
Sir, Shiraz, October 20, 1928.
IN my letters Nos. 120 of the 4th Eebruary, 452 of the 19th May, and 588 of
the 22nd July, I had the honour to forward to you copies of despatches to His
Majesty’s Legation at Tehran on the subject of the increased activities of the Soviet
trading organisations, backed by their consulate-general here. Together with a
summary of the position to date, I now beg to submit an opinion and forecast
regarding the possible future scope and trend of these activities which, I venture to
think, may be worth attention by 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 the departments of Govern
ment which it represents in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
2. There can be no longer any doubt that the objective of the move down
through Persia of the Soviet trading, banking, and now shipping, organisations is,
politically, to make a hole in the established British position in South Persia and the
Gulf region and unsettle the minds of the inhabitants in regard to it.
3. Available information as to methods of subsidisation and its extent may
first be noted :—
(i.) The sailings, begun in 1901, but dwindling in energy after the Anglo-
Russian Agreement of 1907, of the vessels in the Black Sea Volunteer
Fleet were part of a deliberate scheme of the same nature, though less
far-reaching and less sinister than the present move; they received an
annual subsidy from the Czarist Government of 200,000 roubles
(£21,000), as well as a refund of the Suez Canal dues for a minimum of
four sailings yearly over twelve years.
With the costs of upkeep of ships as they run to-day, and with the
small weight of cargoes carried inward and outward, it is certain that a
much higher rate of subsidy has to be paid on the vessels now visiting
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ports. The subsidy, however, does enable the Soviet
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