Coll 29/104 'Appointment of an Indian to the Tehran Legation (First Secretary or Trade Commissioner)' [‎46r] (91/243)

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over fron the Americans after the war. < These should
receive their training in the United Kingdom. Further
more, these young technicians would be able to replace
British technicians if the latter should go. Their
training in England could be effected by means of
British Council scholarships. Candidates should be
sent for theoretical training in the Universities and
for practical training in the factories. British
professors should be anoointed to the Technical Colleges
under the control of the Ministry of Indus try ? Commerce
and Mines. . The British Council is now teaching >
English to the students in these colleges and within a
year or less it will be possible to give instruction on
xechnical subjects in the English language. The
Germans staffed these colleges with their own people and
used the German language for instructional purposes,
German being compulsory until as recently as the end of
the last school term. Five professors are needed for
the Tehran College and three for the Isfahan College.
(g) Cultural Actititjes .
The British Council could extend their activities by
opening Institutes in Shiraz. Hamadan, Meshed. Tabriz and Abadan.
Each would require a staff of three people,, i.e. fifteen in aiL.
The Tehran Institute could usefully employ another five. It
would be Invaluable having professors appointed by them to iehran
University, where six could be placed. One professor for the
Kerej Agricultural College, twelve teachers of English^m other
institutions, ten in seconaary schools, physical > training
instructors, games coaches and scoutmasters appointed and iinancea
by the British Council enormously increase the scope of British .
cultural propaganda. After the war, given^a stable Government in
Persia, the financial liability of the British Council in this
respect could probably be reduced to about two-thirds of the cost,
the Persian Government bearing the rest.;
(h) Medical assistance .
This is clearly one of the most effective forms of
propaganda amongst a backward and disease-ridden country population,
and valuable work has already been achieved by the enterprise oi
a local British subject (Miss Palmer-Smith) in establishing, with
the help of vdlling and influential Persians, clinics and health
centres in Tehran and the provinces: and by the recent provision
of a mobile dispensary by G.H.Q. Paic. Latter work should if
possible be repeated and extended and approach has been made in
this connexion to the Minister of State, Cairo, and to the
Government of India.
(j) Armed Forces .
It would greatly assist our credit, more especially
with this section of the nation (ill-disposed towards us since
the occupation, except for the Air Force), if we could (i) facili
tate arrival of supplies and material recommended hy United
States Army adviser; (ii) definitely promise to rehabilitate the
Persian Navy as soon as possible - perhaps when Germany is
/defeated