'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.' [‎85v] (175/386)

71
From Secretary of State, dated the 5th June.
The Shiraz appointment should be under the Foreign Office. It's geographical position
leaves no room for doubt. The arrangement under which India has no responsibility for any
western post, except on the sea coast, seems reasonable and convenient. Your proposal,
regarding: Koweit, is not likely to be regarded favourably. I would suggest the advisability of
making Mohainmerah an Indian appointment and exchanging it for Baghdad the retention of
which seems to me contrary to the general arrangement indicated above Under this arrano-e-
ment the larger share of the principal appointments will still fall to the Government of India?
To Secretary of State, dated the 10th June.
“Shiraz is (a) the summer quarters of the Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; (fl) a suitable place
for training recruits who must now he systematically educated for Persia and Gulf service ;
{c) the only sanitarium in those parts; and ('/) within the Indian sphere as contemplated in
•Piif. telegram, dated 26th February 1903. at page telegram of the 20th February regarding
30, a»<e, para. 24, Chapter II, which was the reply to the I ersian loan, and my reply. For these
the telegra.n of the 20 th February proposing reasons we desire its retention,
an advance from Indian funds for the protection of
British interests in area including Shiraz.
Baghdad to which Indian pilgrims and merchants frequently resort and which will become
even more closely identified with Indian interests in the event of the future construction of the
Baghdad railway should continue an Indian appointment. We require more than one well paid
post to induce our officers to take up the arduous and irksome appointments in Southern
Persia and the Gulf. We therefore deprecate its transfer. While we are of opinion that more
frequent visits of our ships and officers to Koweit are desirable in view of the action of Russian
and French offieeis reported during the recent visit of “ Infernet ” and “Boyarin ” in March,
nevertheless, we would leave the suggestion as regards that port in abeyance, in deference to your
view * * *
As a consequence of the above telegrams the question was further dis
cussed between the Foreign and India Offices with the result shown in the
following telegraphic correspondence.
To Secretary of State, dated the 11th July.
We are unable to understand here why the appointment at Shiraz should have the
status of a Consulate. Being in the Indian sphere the advantage of placing it in the hands of
the Foreign Office is not clear. The same remark applies to Kermansbah which is in the British
sphere being made an Indian appointment. I would suggest that the matter be reconsidered
From Secretary of State dated the 23rd July.
Before we ask for a reconsideration of the new arrangement so recently accepted
regarding Shiraz and hermaushah, it must be given a trial—reference my telegram of the 5th
June and letter of the 18th to Foreign Office and connected correspondeuce detailing the reasons
for the present arrangement.
The arrangements finally made are shown in the following table
Indian
Appointments.
Levant A geographical area corresponding to the region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Service.
Bu shire
Meshed ,,
Baghdad
Seistan
Kerman
fMohammerah
§Bunder Abbas
Bahrein
§ Kermansbah ..
•••1
i
:
Consulates
General
J
Consulates.
Vice-Consulates
{ Ispahan.
-(
... | Tabriz.
I
r
f Basrah.
(, Shiraz.
r
| Resht.
| Tehran.
Bushire
||Ahwaz.
17. The sudden creation of a number of new Consulates necessarily
accentuated the difficulty of securing suitable incumbents. Endeavours
weie made in various ways to secure a supply of qualified candidates
Steps to improve the personnel. for tlie M ian posts. The regulations
A . . • j . for examination in Persian and
ranc uere levised with a vi ew to ensuring that the prescribed tests
J After the retiiement of the present incumbeat,
§ Kaised to the stains of a Consulate in 1904.
|| An Indian appointment so low* as existing arrangements continue at Mohammerah.