Coll 28/95 ‘Persia. Relations with H.M.G. Private claims against H.M.G.: case of the S.S. “Kara Deniz”.’ [‎105r] (209/691)

4o
Seistan, pp. 82, 83.
Shiraz, pp. 15, 19, 22, 23, 25, 27, 31, 32. 33, 34, 35, 38, 48. 50, 51, 52. 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59,
60, 61, 63, 67, 69, 70, 71, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104,
106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124. 125, 126,
130, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 143, 144, 145, 146. 147, 148. 157, 160. 161, 170,
171, 198, 209, 210, 211.
Sultanabad, pp. 62, 151.
Tabriz (None).
Yezd, pp. 65, 111, 132, 137.
Totals of the amounts claimed in the various categories of claims (computed in sterling at
50 krans to the £), pp. 88, 141, 149, 151 a, 162, 165, 169. 172, 174, 181, 184, 186, 190,
193, 196, 199, 212.
The Consulate Claims (Peace-Time).
A main distinction between the Legation claims and the consulate claims is
that in the case of the former we are furnished with little but correspondence,
and must look to the claimants themselves to supply any requisite detailed
documentary evidence; whereas in the case of the consulate claims we are
furnished with all such evidence as can now be traced in the consulate archives,
though much of it has been lost or destroyed. It is a question therefore of
investigating this evidence to see whether it would be likely to stand the test of
a tribunal.
The lists furnished by the fourteen consulates set out 626 claims, but of these
only 274 are supported by evidence deemed sufficient to establish the existence of
the claim, while a division is made between those placed in category (a), as
deemed by the consuls to afford conclusive evidence, and those placed by them in
category (h), as not backed by complete and adequate evidence. There is a further
category (c) relating to claims they do not deem worthy of presentation.
There are in all 202 claims in category (a) and seventy-two in category (b).
The proposal to exclude war-time claims (i.e., those between the 4th August, 1914,
and the 22nd February, 1921) will reduce these numbers to 145 (a) claims and
sixty-seven (b) claims. There are a few in category (c) which might be given
consideration.
In the present volume relating to peace-time claims we have therefore to
investigate the evidence which is available in some 220 cases. The great majority
relate to highway robberies, of which there are about 160 cases; the remainder
may be grouped as miscellaneous claims, under their respective heads.
In the attached statement each set of claims has been arranged
chronologically as follows :—
Highway robbery (a) claims.
Highway robbery (b) claims.
Highway robbery (c) claims.
The miscellaneous claims follow under the heads of—
Assaults.
Burglaries and caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). robberies.
Civil disturbances.
Consulate-general, Isfahan, damage to.
Customs losses.
Debts.
Murders.
Piracies.
Postal losses.
Requisitions.
Thefts.
Tribal raids.
As might be expected in returns made by fourteen different consulates, there
are considerable differences between the amount of evidence furnished, the wav
in which it is set forth and the views of the respective consuls as to its sufficiencv
or otherwise. No great reliance can be placed on their assignment of claims to
category (a) or (b ); and while it is clear that some of those placed in (a) ou^ht
to be in (b), it is doubtful whether some of those in (b) might not appear in
It seems necessary to investigate them all.
[11541] G 2