'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎51v] (107/310)

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stated his views in regard to the encroach
ments of the Persians on the lelegraph
area, and considered that they might be
permitted to erect a Telegraph Office^ and
if they so desired, a Customs Office within
the Telegraph area; hut that these buildings
should be erected at a considerable distance
from our Telegraph Office, and that, for
sanitary reasons, the Persian employes should
be limited to a small number. But the flag -
staff which has been erected to the east of the
Telegraph Office should be removed, as materi
ally affecting efficient signalling when the
station is made a Lloyds signalling station.
18. On the 9th November, the Secretary
of State for India telegraphed, in reply to the
Government of India telegram ot the 11th
October (Memorandum for October, paragraph
20), to the effect that any arran?ement which
would tend to create a British enclave
on Henjam would certainly be opposed
by the Persian Government; and further
that His Majesty’s Government were of
opinion that a show of force, even if
effectual, would be of doubtful expediency.
They therefore considered that further efforts
should be made to settle the matter locally at
Bushire, but added that, if the amenities of the
telegraph station on Henjam were seriously
affected by Persian encroachments, instruc
tions to protest would be sent to His Majesty’s
Charge d’Affaires, Tehran. This telegram was
repeated to Major Cox on the 1st December
for his guidance, and he w r as further informed
that, if the amenities of the telegraph station
were seriously affected by Persian encroach
ments, he would no doubt point it out. On
the 26th November Major Cox reported to
His Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires, Tehran, that
although the Persian building operations
on Henjam had been suspended, the Customs
authorities had now officially intimated their
intention to commence building the Imperial
Customs house forthwith; and had selected
for the purpose a site in our telegraph station.
He asked that the Persian Government should
be again pressed to suspend all building opera
tions until the question had been settled
between the tw r o Governments.
With reference to the language stated to
have been used by M. Stas at Henjam {vide
Memorandum for August, paragraph 20), Mr.
Grant Duff in a despatch, dated the 10th Octo
ber, stated that M. Naus had expressed a hope
that the matter might be allowed to drop. It
appears that M. Stas not only denied having
used the language imputed to him, but could
bring witnesses to prove that the British tele
graph clerk stationed at Henjam had told him
that Persian Customs officials had no business
on the island. In conclusion Mr. Grant Duff
hoped that he might consider the incident closed.