PZ 3162/31 'Persian Gulf: Political Resident's Interview with Secty of State' [‎509r] (55/63)

fete
958
well,
By Air Mrril.
Confidential.
B.O*NO.189-S of 1831.
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. ,
. Bu ‘ 3 *‘ ire » 20th April 1931.
My dear Howell,
^ During ^ recent visit to Delhi I pi iced on record
on ♦: e file my views regarding the desirability of the pur-
cW of the "Patrick Stewart" as a despatch vessel for the
Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. *
1 was under the impression when I wrote ny note
that the necessity for providing the Resident with a despatch
vessel had been admitted by the Government of India, but I
gathered from my subsequent conversations with you that
this was not altogether the case, and I should like there-
f0re t0 amplify now the ^ews previously expressed in ny note
which dealt solely with the desirability of purchasing the
"•‘■atrick Stewart" in preference to another vessel.
As you are aware, up tc 31st December 1926 the
H.u..M.3• '*Lawrence ,f was utilised as a despatch vessel by the
ioli 4 ical Resident , and during Sir Percy Cox’s tenure of
tne pest he was constantly moving about the Gulf, and it
’■'• o largely by this means that he established his great
influence in the Gulf, and has left behind him a name which
is Known practically to every Arab in the Gulf. After the
WRl * M Lawrence ,f combined the duties of a lighthouse
tender with those of a despatch vessel and, as pointed out
-n my note, this arrangement proved, in practice, to be
’unworkable. ...
811 s ecretary
^ "o u he Government
°f India,
si&a.
3389 1
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