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Legation were considering possible means by which they would exert some
influence on the selection of future candidates, without running too great a
risk of offending Iranian susceptibilities.
109. The other activities of the British Council during the year followed
the same lines as in 1937. A further presentation of books, to the value of £50,
was made to five libraries in Tehran, and prize books were again presented to the
Church Missionary Society’s colleges at Isfahan and Kerman. The Council
offered to repeat their gift, made in 1936, of a number of lecture gramophone
records to the University of Tehran and the Church Missionary Society’s
colleges. Dr. Sadiq, replying on behalf of the Department of English of Tehran
University and the National Teachers’ College, stated that, though the lecture
records had been of use to his pupils, there was a more pressing need at the moment
in the form of English text-books. His request that these might be supplied
instead of the records was conveyed to the Council.
110. As a mark of the Iranian Government’s appreciation of the British
Council’s gifts of books to various institutions in Iran, the Ministry of Education
offered to present a collection of modern Persian books to the Council. The offer
was accepted, and arrangements were made for the books to be divided between
the School of Oriental Studies of London University and the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
Library.
111. A number of articles on current British topics were offered to the
Iranian press for publication. Although the articles were supplied in Persian
translations, none have yet appeared. In most cases the subject matter of the
articles was such that there could be little possibility of their having a wide
appeal among the Iranian public.
Claims.
112. In January His Majesty’s Legation were informed orally by the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs that the claim of the Persian Transport Company
had been referred again to the Ministry of Communications who had been asked
for further information and advice. Nothing further was heard. On behalf
of the Persian Railways Syndicate, His Majesty’s Legation forwarded to the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs in February and December statements of the amount
and interest due to the syndicate from the Iranian Government. In conformity
with Foreign Office instructions of December 1937 no steps were taken to keep
the claims question as a whole before the Iranian Government.
Rates Default by Iranian Legation in London.
113. During the year repeated efforts were made to induce the Iranian
Government to fulfil their obligations, as they had agreed to do in 1936, in
connexion with rates payable on the premises of the Iranian Legation in London,
of which considerable arrears were due. Payment of a portion of the amount was
eventually made, but all the arrears had not been dealt with before the end
of the year, though assurances were given that the amount had been included in
a supplementary budget.
Consular Premises.
114. Much correspondence took place with the Iranian Government during
the year on the question of the leases of property occupied by His Majesty’s
Consulates in Iran. This was particularly the case as regards His Majesty’s
Consulate at Ahwaz.
(1) Ahwaz. —In spite of repeated reminders throughout the year, it proved
impossible to secure from the Iranian Government any reply to His
Majesty’s Government’s proposals regarding the purchase of a site
for the construction of a consulate at Ahwaz.
(2) Khorramshahr .—In January the Shatt-el-Arab overflowed its banks and
flooded the vice-consulate property at Khorramshahr. The servants’
quarters were completely destroyed and His Majesty’s Vice-Consulate
was rendered unfit for human habitation. The A.I.O.C.’s chief
engineer estimated that it would cost £3,000 to make the building