"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٦‎٤] (١٧٨٢/٤٠٧)

Station-
nair* of the
BritUh
Political
Agency at
Baghdad,
1869-70.
The Oudh
Bequeet.
264
In 1869, the assent of the Porte to the replacement of the stationnaire
of the British Political Agency, a surviving relic of the British Mesopota
mia n flotilla though not one of its original vessels, was obtained; but the
presence of the stationnaire was believed to be regarded with disfavour
by the Turkish authorities ; and in 1S70 the Government of India were
inclined, chiefly it would seem from considerations of expense, to acquiesce
in its disappearance. On the advice of Her Britannic Majesty's Ambas
sador at Constantinople, however, it was decided not to abandon the long-
established British privilege of maintaining an armed Government steam"
vessel at Baghdad.
In 1849 a large pecuniary benefaction appropriated to the towns ot
Karbala and Najaf by a deceased King of Oudh under an Agreement with
the Government of India, of which the founder had directed periodical
distribution to be made through Mujtahids resident at those places, came
into operation. The British Political Agency at Baghdad, as representing
the Government of India in Turkish 'Iraq, became the channel of pay
ment } and the magnitude of the " Oudh Bequest," as it was styled, which
already amounted to Rs, 7,334, a month—some £/ oO at the rate of ex
change then prevailing—and which would be increased later by the falling*
in of certain life interests in the deceased King's estate, invested it with
political importance. At first it was feared that the nature of the Bequest,
which was to be enjoyed by Persian and Indian Shi'ahs, might be mis
understood by the Sunni Government of Turkey and so lead to friction,
but this danger did not marialise. The British Political Agent in
Turkish 'Iraq, however, chiefly with a view to the avoidance of political
difficulties, was authorised by the G overnment of India to exercise a
judicious superintendence " over the expenditure of the money.
In the course of time serious embarrassments, to which the loss from
view of the authentic Agreement sealed by the King of Oudh contributed
not a little, arose in connection with the practical administration of the
Bequest. Arrangements were made to secure to destitute Indianb at
Karbala, Najaf and Kadhimain, a share in the proceeds of the Bequest;
and these arrangements became interlaced in a highly inconvenient manner
with certain dispositions for non-official representation and protection of
British Indian interests at Karbala and Kadhimain. The disbursement of
the money having been left, apart from the safeguards introduced in t e
interest of Indians, entirely to Mujtahids of Karbala and Najaf, the
were to a large extent misappropriated or wasted. In 1S66, the questioi
of correcting this abuse was raised by the Nawab Iqbal -ud-Daulah.
publicspirited Indian nobleman of the Oudh royal family settled