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File 948/1909 'Persia: Situation in the South; Condition of the Roads. Attack on Mr Bill. Road Guard Scheme.' [334v] (673/744)
The record is made up of 1 volume (370 folios). It was created in 1909-1911. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Of the methods suggested by Mr. Bill of raising the funds for defraying the cost
of the maintenance of order, a surcharge on the customs would, if it be negotiated,
clearly be the easier, but should there be insuperable objections to this course, we
might insist on the assignment of the receipts of one of the southern ports for thef^
purpose. Without some fund specially allocated the necessary regularity of payment
could not be assured, but even were this done it would be some time before it could
produce funds for inaugurating any seheme, and whatever plan His Majesty’s
Government decide to urge upon the Persian Government, it would probably be
desirable to make the cost of starting its working a first charge on any loan to he made
to the Persian Government.
I have, &c.
G. BARCLAY.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Grahame to Sir G. Barclay.
(No. 23.)
Sir, Ispahan, March 10, 1909.
I HAVE the honour to submit for your consideration a copy of a letter addressed
under date of the 17th October, 1908, by Messrs. H. C. Dixon, of Manchester, to their
representative in Ispahan, Mr. Kay, by whom it was brought to my attention a few
days ago.
Messrs. Dixon suggest that patrols—preferably of telegraph gholams—might with
advantage be employed to go up and down the Bushire road, not so much with a view
to themselves arresting robbers as of giving notice by means of field telephones of the
presence and number of robbers, thus facilitating the dispatch of soldiers.
In my conversation with Mr. Kay I pointed out the many and obvious difficulties
attaching to the execution of any project of the nature of that suggested by
.Messrs. Dixon. I also mentioned that some time ago I made proposals for certain
measures to be taken by His Majesty’s Government for the better security of the
Bushire road, but that these have been unfavourably viewed both by His Majesty’s
Minister (Sir C. Spring-Rice) and by the Foreign Office.
I undertook, however, to bring Messrs. Dixon’s suggestions under your con
sideration.
It may not be out of place here to mention that 1 have noted in the course of the
last few years an increasing feeling among British mercantile men in Persia that the
steps hitherto taken with regard to the robberies of British merchandise on the Bushire
road have ceased to be adequate, and that the increasing frequency of these and the
inability or unwillingness of the Persian Government to bring the culprits to justice
would, in their opinion, make it desirable that His Majesty’s Government should
consider what other measures it might be prepared to take in the interests of British
trade in Persia.
1 am now addressing a copy of this despatch and inclosure to His Maiesty’s consul
at Shiraz. J J
I have, &c.
G. GRAHAME.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1 .
(N 18 ) Acting Consul Bill to Sir G. Barclay.
r Shiraz / 4 nrif 21 1909
_ WITH reference to my despatch No. 23, dated the 10 th MarchA 909, from His
ajesty s consul-general at Ispahan to your address, a copy of which was forwarded to
me,^ ave the honour to offer for your consideration the following observations on this
subject, with a suggestion towards a remedy.
I must, in the first place, emphatically endorse the statement made by Mr. Grahame
in the letter above quoted, in relation to the increasing feeling among British firms that
the steps taken with regard to the robbery of British goods on the Bushire road have
ceased to be adequate, and that it has consequently become desirable that His Majesty’s
Government should consider what other steps it might be prepared to take in the
interests of British trade in Persia. In this connection, I have the honour to forward
About this item
- Content
The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes relating to the security situation in south Persia, 1909-1911.
The discussion in the volume relates to the deteriorating security situation for travellers and trade in south Persia (which was held to be a British sphere of influence) caused by fighting among the Kashgai, Lur and Arab tribes who had rejected the authority of the Governor-General of Fars. A further cause of insecurity relating to this is referred to in a note (ff 335-336) by the 2nd Assistant Resident, Bushire, J S Crosthwaite, who describes how tribesmen had invested their money in rifles and could only earn their living by robbing the caravans of commercial travellers.
Correspondence discusses how this culminated in an attack upon J H Bill, Acting British Consul, Shiraz, in which two horsemen or ' sowars ' were killed, as he travelled along a caravan route. Correspondence discusses measures to be taken as a result of this attack, including a claim for compensation from the Persian Government, a punitive expedition against the Kashgais tribe and the role of Soulet et-Dowle, Governor General, Fars. Measures discussed include using the guards ( gholam ) of the Indo-European Telegraph Department paid for by a surcharge on customs duty levied by the British at Bushire; implications for relations with the Persian Government and the Russian Government are also discussed.
Included in the volume is a 'Memorandum respecting the Disorders on the Trade Routes of Southern Persia' by H G Trick, Vice-Consul for Fars.
The principal correspondents in the volume include Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Viscount Morley of Blackburn, Secretary of State for India; Percy Zachariah Cox, the 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. ; and Sir George Head Barclay, Minister at Tehran.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (370 folios)
- Arrangement
The subject 948 (Persia: situation in the south) consists of 1 volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 366; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and ending flyleaves
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 948/1909 'Persia: Situation in the South; Condition of the Roads. Attack on Mr Bill. Road Guard Scheme.' [334v] (673/744), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/163, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030540736.0x00004a> [accessed 25 January 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/163
- Title
- File 948/1909 'Persia: Situation in the South; Condition of the Roads. Attack on Mr Bill. Road Guard Scheme.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:146v, 147v:224v, 226r:369v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence