'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.' [‎92r] (188/386)

CHAPTER XII.
Karun HiveT Subsidy.
Mention has already been made {vide Chapter I, paragraph 27, page 7) of
., , in the despatch of September 1899 when discussing the financial
^ 10 pU nf the Persian problem, Lord Curzon emphatically reiterated the opinion
reformer Governments that India was only indirectly interested m the develop-
of BritUhTnfluence in the Karun region, the expenditure on account of
which should be met from Imperial and not from Indian revenues.
2 In 1896 when this question had been last before the Government of India,
c . T wL,„' r nrfnanee Member) urged that as the Tigris and Karun naviga-
ments should each take half a share.
3. After considerable discussion it was decided to reply as follows on the
3rd February 1896
ot
wishes of the Foreign Office.”
4 Pending f' '" I °
S?.'l KwS . 'yi lTS.n — — .he K.r.n n.vig.tte. ni.h
effect from 1st January 1895.
6. In September 1899, the Company applied again for a continuance of t a
subsidy for five more years.
6. The application was referred for observations to the Government of
India who on 21st December 1899 replied as follows .
. * 3k
<<
IPe have already noticed* this question in
of September IbJy :—
Vide Chapter I, paragraph 27, page 7.
our despatch
•■The Indian contributi .n to the Karun subsidy, is noting
intertsts of Indian trade and we are reluctan 0 .i Karun subsidy for one year more,
Your Lordship considers thls d fgjg b,e ’w b,! “ to this, in the first place, because we assume
namely, for the calendar year 1900. e g rommission will be issued during the com-
that the report and reeommendat.ons of the Royal Commumon will ^ ^ ^ ^
in.r year, and, in the second place, bacause we are awaitm„ a P ^ of British influence
September 1899, which deals with the whole ‘^“T^pXng the contribution
in Persia. We desire, however, to state that .^“ ‘ Sip’s attentfon to the inequity
beyond tire year 1900, and we would once mor a half the Karun subsidy, in which
of an arrangement whereby ledtan revenues f ‘ , 7 '^ ““ficairt, hut also hear the whole
Indian interests, if they can be said 0 exis a . Imperial Government is at least
charge for the Euphrates-Tigns subsidy, in whose objeet the imperial u
equally and indeed in our opinion more vitally concerned. _
7 Lord George Hamilton concurred and agreed to sanction a moiety of a
reduced subsidy of £1,000 only for one year.
s The fomrativ was dissatisfied and again pressed for the larger subsidy.
Th. - Ue I “‘ l “ W '‘° ” "
to alter the opinion expressed in December 1899. # ,
9 Meanwhile in their final report issued in 1900 the .^1 Commission
i ihn viowtlnt “ if tbe Government of India maintamed the
rence.