'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎78r] (160/386)

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of an agreement with the Persian Government in regard to parcel mails only.
This mi^lit he done without the assistance of an Indian otlicial deputed to
Tehran. ° If, however, Sir A. Hardinge thought it necessary to conclude a
general postal arrangement, there would he some difficulty in sparing an Indian
postal officer with the required qualifications. His views were therefore asked
on the following alternative proposals:—
(a) Matters might stand over until after the International Postal Con
gress which was to he held early in 1900 at which an informal
discussion might he started and the views of M. Naus ascertained,
so as to enable the British Government to find a basis for nego
tiation.
Ih) If, however, it was necessary to enter into negotiations at once,
enquiry "was made as to whether it would not suffice to depute
an Indian political officer to Tehran after mastering postal details,
as no Indian postal officer with the necessary qualifications was
available. Stress was laid on the political interests involved and
on that account it would probably be preferable to depute a
political to a purely postal officer. No answer had been received
to this communication before Lord Curzonleft India.
9. A claim was also raised in April 1905 by the Director of Customs to
evv duty from 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. Surgeon, the Extra Assistant and others not men
tioned as exempted persons in the Rbglement, for parcels sent through the
British Post Office. The demand was compiled with under protest and the
difficulty was finally got over by giving Vice-Consular powers to the first officer
and Consular powers to the First Assistant Ltesident—the proposal to confer Con
sular powers was already under separate consideration independently and by
styMiTExtra Assistant, Secretary to the Consul-General for Pars, and other
officers of 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. “ Dragomans”, thus bringing those officers within the
exempted persons under the Kegleuient.
10 Since ISOS, when M. Naus was placed at the head of the Customs
iU * & Department he had made every effort to
Power of tho Belgians. acquire as much power as possible. He
was practically Finance Minister and had brought the Postal and Quarantine
Departments to some extent under his control as has been shown. But his
ambition remained unsatisfied.
11 His Maiesty’s Consul, Kerman, reported in August 1901, that Baluchis
treatment of Persian dhows as compared with others claiming Batisli protection.