'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.' [‎153v] (311/386)

4S
3. I wish, however, to draw attention to the parenthetical account of the
arrangements for the ceremonial visit in the extract marked (3) and under
lined in red, of which a literal translation is attached. The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. hero
distinctly states that it was arranged that, after landing opposite the Govern
ment House or Charburj, I should see and visit the Ala-ed-Dowleh first, and
that he should then return my visit at the British 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. . Subsequently the
words “his 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. have been scored out, and “ the Amirieh building**
entered with a pen between the lines. If it is true that the article was
inspired by the Ala-ed*Dowleh, the deliberate falsehood here told as to the
arrangements in the programme seems to des-Tvo attention. In any case, this
note clearly establishes two things—(1) that the local Persian officials we re
determined to make out that I was to pay the first visit to the Governor-General
of Fars, and (2) that there was no real objection to his calling on me at 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. , provided that I had paid the first visit.
4. The orders received from the Shah that the Ala-ed-Dowleh was not ta
call upon me in any circumstances at 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. arc, therefore, inexpli
cable, and the attempt which has been made by the Persian Government to
allege that I declined to carry out the pre-arranged programme is a subterfuge.
The allegation made by the I ersian Minister to the Marquess of Lansdowne,
as reported in a telegram from the latter to Mr. Grant Duff, No. 112, dated the
9th December 1903, that I insisted on the Ala-ed-Dowleh coming on board to.
meet me and conduct me on shore as a condition of my landing is absolutely
untrue, and I concur in the opinion
«iCopy enclosed. expressed by Sir A. Hardinge in his
despatch * No. 10 ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ), dated
the 15th December 1903, to the Foreign Office (which, owing to the want of
time to make two copies before the departure of the trail, he forwarded through
us to Hie Marquess of Lansdowne) that for this the Ala-od-Dou leh should,
certainly be called to account.
No. 10, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. *.
Enclosure to 17-
Basrah ;
loth December 1903*
Mr Lord,
A repetition of Your Lordship’s telegram of the 9th instant, giving the
substance of a communication from the Persian Minister in London respecting
1 lie Viceroy’s visit, only reached me on my arrival here yesterday, and uilF,
1 hope, have been fully answered by the one which I have had the honour to
address to you this morning.
It is of course true that Mr. Grant Duff accepted on behalf of the Viceroy
in an official note a residence on shore on Bushire. What the Persian Gov
ernment, however, actually offered His Excellency was first a house not
at Busline, but 5 miles off, to proceed to which for a brief official ceremony
would have entailed very great inconvenience and lass of time, and afterwards
a room in the house occupied by their own representative. The offer of the
“ Amirieh,” which is now occupied by some officials of the Customs, if originally
made would have been accepted without difficulty, hut it was only suggested at
the very last moment, when the Viceroy had formally asked for and been
curtly refused the visit at the Besidency first proposed by me and agreed to by
the Persians. o j
I ha\ e telegraphed to Mr. Grant Duff to ascertain on what authority the
Persian Government informed the Ala es*Sultaneh that the Viceroy, besides
insisting on 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. visit, had declined to land unless the Ala-ed-Dowleh
“ like the Islam of Maskat ” first went on hoard his ship. If this statement,
winch is absolutely false, can he traced to the Ala-ed-Dowleh it would confirm
the insinuations made to me by certain Persian officials who are not his best