File 1144/1915 'Persia:- Secret Service Expenditure by Consular Officers. Seistan Levies Expenditure. South Persia Rifles (see also F 2834/12)' [‎376r] (760/850)

Indexed,
P
2333
1917
^ * <
Levies.
From Viceroy, Finance Department, 8th June 1917.
(Received at India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , 9 a.m., 9th.)
Your telegram of the 17th November 1910. Charge of Seistan
Before receipt of your telegram our Auditor-General had challenged propriety
of debiting any part of cost of levies to Indian revenues on grounds identical
with those mentioned in your telegram. We agree with you that co^t of all
irregular troops employed in East Persia to supplement regular troops should
be treated as part of extraordinary expenditure on military operations an
should be charged as such to Imperial revenues in entirety under Parlia
mentary resolutions. Amended statements of secret service payments
omitting cost of levies will be furnished upon hearing your linal decision in
the matter.
2. Discussion of question of incidence of levies employed in Eastern
Persia has led us to reconsider the question of incidence of South Persia
Rifles. Our Auditor-General holds view that this force also represents for
the time being body of irregular troops employed in military operations in
Persia whose cost cannot be met from Indian revenues under the Govern
ment of India Act, but should be debited to Imperial revenues in entirety
under Parliamentary resolutions. 1 le cites in support of his view your telegram
. ? of 2nd March laS and your telegram of 31st March -last 1910, concluding
portion of my telegram of 10th March 1910, No. 434 1) S., and your telegram
of 11 th March 1910, regarding immediate object of Sykes’ Mission and force
raised by him locally, also fact that such local troops as he was able to raise
were employed during the past year mainly in connection with military
operations, and that our connection with force has been transferred on our
side to Commander-in-Chief and to Arm}" Department. 11 is contention is
further strengthened by present military organisation of force, which consists
of units of artillery, cavalry and infantry divided into brigades, and by recent
appointments to it of qualified General Stall Officer and experienced adminis
trative Staff Officer as well as about 40 other military staff and administrative
officers similar to those employed with a military division. He considers
that true nature of expenditure incurred by His Majesty s Imperial and
Indian Governments in connection with force is that of subsidy to Persian
Government, and as this subsidy is being paid in pursuance of a definite
policy adopted by War Cabinet for the vigorous and successlu I prosecution
of military operations against Germany and dinkey in which His Majesty s
Government is employed, expenditure should be treated as pa it of cost ol
such operations and that no part of such expenditure can be ehaiged to
Indian revenues under Government of India Act and parliamentan iesou-
tions. His objection applies equally to meeting from Indian leyenues an\
part of various other items, so-called political expenditure, which is being
incurred by Imperial Government or by us in Persia in connection w it i wai.
3. We regret we failed to obtain Comptroller and Auditor-General s
ruling as regards expenditure at an earlier stage, but we consn ei t tat now
that his views have been expressed they ought to be accepted, am 8 a 1(1
from your telegram of 17th November last under iepK that t u \ wi . P im ®
to be in accord with your own. If so, you will no doubt take the necessary
action. , , }
4. Credit would of course be afforded with reference to accepted
principle for the normal cost of officers and men depute< 10111 ()UI 1 y ,
establishment for service with the rifles and other hwies. \ l 110111 ?. ,
credit [? will be] inconsiderable as it will be geneia > 1
ordinary pay and allowances of a few r officers of Indian o i ica 4‘ ,
In the case of military personnel no additional eie< it wi nu( 1 ‘ Indian
in connection with calculation of India’s contribution n t |
Expeditionarv Forces and assessment of extra expenditme in m < norm l ]
thereby. We have already credited Imperial Government ^Rh the noi nal
cost of pay and allowances of our entire peace stitpig i o ' officer
As regards subordinate non-military establishmen , r.r/., c y. , <
deputed for service with the rifles and levies is
substantive Indian appointment by another drawing 11 1 ^ 1