ملف ١٩١٦/٣٨٣٩ جزء ١ "بلاد فارس: - مقدار النفقات - مسألة مراجعة اتفاقية سنة ١٩٠٠" [و‎‎٤‎١‎٤] (٨٨٠/٨٤٤)

F. 5722/15.
* Dated 27th October 1915,
INDIA OFFICE.
WHITEHALL, S.W.,
20th January 1916.
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to
forward, for the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury,
a copy of a telegram 0 from the Govern
ment of India regarding the incidence
of cost of troops from the Indian establishment employed in Oman and
Persia during the war.
With reference to the concluding portion of the telegram Mr. Chamberlain
is inclined to think that it is impossible to forecast with accuracy at the
present stage whether a division of the charges on the basis of the Resolution
, „ n of 26th November 19141 would or
T Copy enclosed. 1
would not be less favourable to the
revenues of India (and more favourable to Imperial revenues) than a division
in accordance with the pre-war arrangements, under which India bore the full
cost of tne troops employed in Oman, and was normally liable for half of the
cost of any troops employed in Persia otherwise than in the suppression of
the arms traffic. The effect from this point of view of the alteration of system
would depend on the realised proportion of “ordinary” to “extraordinary”
expenditure, the latter increasing with the expensiveness of the operations
in which the troops are engaged. The troops at Bush ire (one battalion of
infantry and details), for example, and those at Chahbar (about 100 strong),
Task (about 200 strong), and Muscat (about 760 strong), are, and are likely
to remain immobile, so that the extraordinary expenditure on them will
probably be small, whereas the troops in Seistan (about 600 infantry and
350 cavalry) are intended to be highly mobile.
Mr. Chamberlain is of opinion, however, that a division of the charges
in accordance with the Resolution of 26th November 1914, is appropriate in
itself. This method of division has nowbeen applied to the Indian troops
operating in France, Egypt, GallipoliT^East Africa, a^d—the CarnCToen-s-;
to the additional Indian regiment sent since the commencement of the war
to Mauritius ; and to the large body of regular British troops sent to Europe
from India in exchange for Territorials. In a war extending to three
continents which has called up the military resources of every part of
the Empire/ the presumption must be that any Indian troops engaged in
operations beyond the external frontiers of India, or stationed in legions
where such operations are in progress, come under the Resolution.
Mr. Chamberlain assumes, therefore, that the Lords Commissioners of the
Treasury will agree with him that the Resolution should be applied to the
troops from the Indian establishment employed in Persia and Oman since
the outbreak of the war. He will be glad to learn that this assumption is
correct.
Secretary,
Treasury.
1 am,
Your
(Signed)
Sir,
obedient Servant,
T. W. Holdern
ESS.