مجموعة ٢٩ /٩٠ "بوشهر: النيابة القنصلية؛ السكن وتوفير الأثاث" [و‎‎١‎٣] (٣٤/٢٥)

to Justify a claim that the position of Vice-Consul in Bushire
been brought into line with that in other posts where similar
conditions prevail; though apparently such preferential
treatment may not normally be extended to Vice-Consuls. If
the request for Government-provided furniture is wrecked on
this snag, an increase in transfer allowance, where payable,
would help matters, but it would do nothing to overcome what
I consider to be the main difficulty, that the Vice-Consul has
no immediately habitable home on his arrival here. Incidentally
according to my information, the late Trapman, while
probationer in Addis Ababa, was allowed to charge his furniture
to (rover ment; and even Addis cannot be more devoid of
facilities than Bushire. I doubt though if one can lean too
heavily on precedent.
X append an estimate of cost of the minimum of furniture
which X should have to import. The figunes were supplied by the
Assistant Sngineer of the Indian P.W.D. here, who has recently
provided furniture on this scale for the Agency at Gwadur, and
were approved by the department and by the Political Agent at
Muscat. The total cost landed in Bushire would be 87-92 pounds,
and the cost in India Rs.860 or £ 66 . If annual rent was paid
at 7# of cost in India (that is, excluding freight and landing
charges, the total expenditure would be recovered in 18-19 years.
A higher rate of rent, say at 10 years’ purchase, would not
perhaps be an undue burden on future Vice-Consuls when the
alternative is considered.
I cannot think or a more practical scheme*
I am sorry if t e length of this exceeds what you expected
and wan ed from me; it is no doubt amenable to considerable
condensation. I shall of course be very grateful if any
enterprise of yours bears fruit in my time here.
Yours ever,
Vice-Consulate.