File 1265/1907 ‘Persian Gulf:- Wireless Stations' [‎191r] (390/434)

[Confidential]
No. 1726, dated Bushire, the 6th (received 15th) June 1908.
From — Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—S. H. Butler, Esq., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of India in the
Foreign Department, Simla.
I have the honour to state that when Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, His Majesty’s
late Minister at Tehran, left his post on short leave in the autumn I wrote to
urge him to return, if possible, vid the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Subsequently, on learning
that he would not resume his appointment in Persia, I ventured to express to
His Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the hope that it might be
found practicable for Sir Cecil Spring-Rice’s successor to join his post by
this route.
It would, I feel confident, have been greatly in the public interest, and to
the advantage of the work between His Majesty’s Legation and this 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. ,
had the new Minister been able in my company to examine on the spot various
aspects of the political and commercial outlook in the south, recently modified
as it has been by the conclusion of the Anglo-Russian Convention, the activity
of Germany, and the effect of the national movement in Persia upon the economic
condition of the country. In the hope that this meeting might take shape I
deferred addressing any special representations to the Government of India on
the existing situation, but the travelling season has now passed and I can no
longer look forward to the privilege of discussing it in person with His Majesty’s
Representative in the first instance ; 1 am therefore constrained to lay the fol
lowing independent observations before the Government of India.
2. During the past 18 months the situation has been very considerably
affected, as far as our interests in the sphere of my appointment are concerned,
by the three forces or events above quoted.
I will touch upon their several effects in turn.
3. Our reconciliation with Russia —Monsieur Passek during the four years
in which he represented Russian interests in Ears and the Gulf appeared to^ me
to work against us in every direction in which useful openings could be gained
for so doing, and he apparently evinced the same disposition vvhen transferred to
the Russian Legation at Tehran. Of Monsieur Andre Miller who succeeded
him I have never had any cause for complaint. During the progress of the
negociations leading up to the Convention his attitude was correct and cordial,
and since its conclusion our relations have increased in frankness and I have
every reason to hope and believe that the Russian Consulate-General at Bushire
has ceased working to our prejudice.
The same cannot yet be said of their Consulate at Bunder Abbas which
Monsieur Ovseenko still fills. Deprived by the conclusion of the Convention
and probably by specific instructions from his Legation of any legitimate excuse
for direct or overt opposition, he seems unable to divest himself of habits^ and
bias of longstanding and continues to be a considerable source of inconvenience
to our Consulate and interests, through the instrumentality of several Persian
Agents whom he employs on missions of espionage and intrigue. I may men
tion two who are chiefly prominent ; firstly, the Sadeed-es-Sultaneh, a drunken
but clever little Persian with whom, when Foreign Office Agent at Bushire a few
years a^o, the 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. refused to hold communication owing to his undesirable
character and his obstructive attitude towards British interests ; secondly, one
Abul Kassim, at one time a Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. in the British 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. but discharged as
an undesirable character. Whenever any strings exist which can be pulled to our
prejudice these persons and others like them are there to pull them, either y
newspaper articles or by the encouragement of Jocal Majlises and Persian
“ patriots ” in promoting the new doctrine of “ Persia for the Persians and away
with Foreign influence.” Foreign influence so far as tney and the u are
concerned is a synonym for British influence, and it is to the efforts of such
persons and others of their kidney that the frequent difficulties which we now