'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.' [‎77r] (158/386)

CHAPTER VI.
[nterference by the Persian Customs with British Postal arrange*
ments in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Their attempt to get into their
hands the carrying out of the slavery provisions of the Brussels
Act.
1. Foiled in their efforts to oust British quarantine arrangements, the
Customs Department next directed their efforts towards depriving us of the pre
scriptive privileges enjoyed by the British Post Offices in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
2. These post offices, had been established and continued with the tacit
approval of the Persian Government, but no formal agreement existed for their
institution. The first of them was established at Bushire as long ago as 1864
and it was followed by others at Lingah, Bunder Abbas (1867) and Jask
(1880) ; the last being established at Mohammerah in 1892. For more than
40 years letters and parcels had been carried for British and Persian subjects,
much to the benefit of the latter and no serious complaint was raised till 1904.
3. When, however, the Belgian Customs Administration was first started in
1900, the question of parcels post arrangements was raised, and by Article 8 of
an agreement arrived at in June of that year between the Resident and the
Director-General of Customs, it was stipulated that parcels for the P.esident and
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 and officers of the superior service and those belonging to
the Royal Indian Marine ships should be delivered direct to the addressees.
This article had been questioned several times, but Major Cox pointed out that
the concession was much prized, as it obviated unnecessary delays and forma
lities in the Customs House, that the return forwarded by the British Post
Office to the Persian authorities was an efficient check and that if Foreign
Consuls objected, as was alleged, the reply should be that our work in the
Gulf for over a century should entitle us to enjoy such a small concession.
M. Waffalert, the Director of Customs, Bushire, expressed satisfaction with the
existing arrangement and the privilege continued without further trouble until
1904 when a vigorous attack was made on our postal position in the Persian
Gulf.
4. In the autumn of that year the Ministry of Customs complained that
parcels arriving by post at the British Post Office at Bushire were not
declared at the Customs House, but were received and distributed to 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. officials without the legal duty being paid on such parcels. There
were further complaints that merchants took parcels direct from the British
Post Office. Mr. Grant Duff asked the Customs authorities that, pending the
views of the Government of India, the existing arrangement should be allowed
to continue. Before matters could be settled Mr. Waffalaert, under instruc
tions from M. Lavers acting for M. Naus on the 1st December 1904, seized
the mail-bags from the steamer Kassnra at Bushire. The Customs claimed
that by articles 27 and 51 of the “ Reglement Douanier they were acting
within their rights.
5. Mr. Grant Duff protested, on learning of this high-handed proceeding,
and the Grand Vizier assured him that the post would bo at once returned to 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. . Mr. Grant Duff, however, informed the Mushir-ed-Dowleh that he
had instructed 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. to resist forcibly, any further tampering with the
mails pending proper settlement between the two Governments. On the 5th
December he intimated to the Government of India that the practice of
parcels arriving at Bushire, without declaration at the Custom House and con
sequently paying no duty was hard to defend, as the British Government had
accepted the R5glement Douanier, but that pending receipt of instructions he
had arranged for parcels received at the British Post Office to be opened
before a Customs officer who was to take a list of addressees, and levy duty on
goods of persons not exempted by the R&glement. In reply the Government
of India in their telegram, dated the 14th December 1904—•
(a) proposed that the arrangement agreed to in 1900 should be adhered
to, but that it should be supplemented by a provision that all