‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎110v] (225/617)

the Government of India distinctly declined to
make any allotment for it. But while this
is so as regards the Kerman Consulate, the
Government of India are interested in the
opening of a British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. or Consulate at
Bunder Abbas. There is, however, this to be
noted that no final decision has yet been
arrived at as regards the latter question, the consideration of which will be resumed when the
normal conditions of the trade of Bunder Abbas have been restored by the withdrawal of the
Russian sanitary restrictions which have interfered with the overland trade.
When the Consulate was first opened,
Secret E., July 1894, Nos. 110-111.
Proceedings No. 26 of Secret E., July 1896, Nos. 19-28.
Proceedings No. 153 of Secret E., June 1897, Nos. 150-
153.
If the question of Consular representation at Bunder Abbas is shortly to be taken up
again, and an officer is eventually appointed to that post, it will help to settle the other ques
tion as to the payment by the Indian Government of a moiety of the cost of the Kerman Con-
, ., , n v w sulate; for the two questions are connected—
This may be considered Colonel Yates proposal, but . , , i o -.1
backed by‘Colonel Wilson-Proceedings Nos. 23 in that the proposal Originally put forward by
and 26 of Secret E., July 1896, Nos. 19-28. the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. 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. was that the Con
sul at Kerman should also hold charge of Bunder Abbas. If the two charges are held by the
same officer, much of the objection to the Indian Government paying a moiety of the cost of
the Kerman (Consulate will have been overcome.
Finance Department for consideration and remarks. The two questions may be dealt
with together and brought up again when the plague restrictions have been removed. Mean
while it is to be decided what reply should be sent to the Secretary of State as to the Indian
contribution on account of the Kerman Consulate.
F. A. deB.— 10th December 1897.
R. W 0 December 1897.
Deputy Secretary.
1. As a precaution against Russian activity in Kain and Seistan, it was proposed in 1894
to establish British Agencies in South-Eastern Persia. Secretary noted that, “if we could afford
to establish a Consul for Kerman and Bunder Abbas, I think that, both politically and com
mercially, the results would be very good.”
W T e did not know how to find the money, and so we refused to contribute. Moreover, it
Secret E., July 1894, Nos. 110-111. was noted at the ti . me that “ mone y would b 6
better spent on a Vice-Consul at Bunder Abbas,
where there was a large British Indian trade,” securable f< at Rs. 50 a month.”
2. Since that date we have the following:—
(i) Lieutenant Sykes went to Kerman as Consul in 1894.
We have heard complaints of oppressive treatment received during his absence by British
Secret E., Proceedings, November 1894, No. 112. Indian sub J e Cts at Kerman and Bunder Abbas.
Secret E., Proceedings, September 1895, Nos. 107-115.
(ii) Sir Mortimer Durand wrote from
the Embassy at Tehran on the 20th Dec
ember 1894:—
“ I feel sure that the Government of India, to whom the maintenance of British influence in Persia is no doubt a
matter of serious interest, will wish to do anything in their power to increase the efflciency of the new Consulate. I
trust that, as Her Majesty’s Government has seen its way to establishing a Consulate at Kerman, the Government of
India will not thinif the small expenditure involved in these proposals is an excessive contribution on the part of Indian
Revenues.”
The contribution asked was estimated in this oflSce at Rs. 255 exclusive of the initial
expenditure on equipment, ete.
His Excellency noted in reply
‘‘ 1 fail to find any reason for altering onr recorded opinion that we had no funds to spend on this Consulate, and
if we had, we sJaould not spend them at Kerman.”
(iii) Keitnan is at one end of a section of an important trade route inland. At the other
end is Bunder Abbas, also an important centre of British Indian trade. In
K VVs., Secret E., November 1897, Nos. 150-153. 1895 the export and import
. trade with British India and
the Colonies amounted to over 41 and 75 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees respectively.
t) e /r 006 an< ^ ^ ommerce Department can say how small a proportion of this trade is with
Ihe volume of trade is great, but the number of traders is believed to be small.
,iv) In August 1895 it was proposed to tack on Bunder Abbas to Kerman. The pro
Secret E., Proceedings, July 1896, Nos. 19-28. pOSal was negatived partly fron
• i jt. r, „ T f ear l esb its acceptance wouh
involve the Government of India in paying the cost without exercising a reason
able amount of control over the appointment and expenditure.