‘A collection of treaties, engagements and sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries’ [‎30] (47/578)

30
PERSIA— Telegraphs.
struction had been paid, the line was to be handed over to the Persian
Government. The work was completed in December 1905; but, owing
to the attitude of the local authorities, the cable was not connected with
the Persian Telegraph Office at Bandar Abbas till three years later,
while eight months more elapsed before the office was opened for inter
national traffic. The bill in connection with the construction of this
line was not settled, and the Indo-European Telegraph Department
continued to maintain the line. In 1924 the Persian Government agreed
to pay off the debt for the cost of construction plus half the cost of
maintenance incurred by the Indo-European Telegraph Department up
to the 31st March 1923, in twenty-one yearly instalments, and to settle
annually half the cost of the annual maintenance charges subsequent
to the 31st March 1923. The first instalment was settled through the
annual account for 1923-24.
Tehran-Khanikin Line. In 1906 an Agreement* was concluded
between the Indo-European Telegraph Company and the Persian Gov
ernment, under which the Company Avas allowed to make an arrangement
with the British Government for taking over the Tehran-Khanikin tele
graph line which formed the subject of the Convention of 1865 (No.
XXVIII) between the British and Persian Governments. The position
of the Indo-European Telegraph Department with regard to the section
of line from Tehran to Khanikin is also defined in Article 16 of the
Convention of 1872 (No. XXXI) between the British and Persian
Governments.
In 1906 another Agreement! Acas concluded between the Indo-Euro
pean Telegraph Company and the Persian Government, whereby the
concession held by the Company Avas prolonged for twenty years from
the 1st February 1925. When this agreement Avas made, the Company
advanced the Persian Government £40,000, repayable in instalments
with interest. A clause in the agreement provided that, in the event
of the Persian Government not settling up certain accounts with the
Company within a prescribed time, the Company would have the right
to collect telegram charges direct from the public. By the Persian
Government’s failure to settle accounts regularly, this right Avas acquired
by the Company in 1911.
The total debt of the Persian Government to the Indo-European
Telegraph Company was liquidated in 1925.
Borasjun-Ahivaz-Mohammerah and Ahwaz-Dizful Lines. In 1913
an Agreement (No. XXXV) for the reconstruction of the Arabistan
Telegraph lines, namely Borasjun-Ahwaz-Mohammerah and Alnvaz-
Dizful, was concluded between the British and Persian Governments
* Appendix No. XXXVII.
t Appendix No. XXXVIII,