File 948/1909 'Persia: Situation in the South; Condition of the Roads. Attack on Mr Bill. Road Guard Scheme.' [‎360v] (725/744)

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Annex 1.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.
No. 167. (Confidential.) Gnlaliek,
Sir, 14th July 1908.
I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a despatch
addressed by Major Cox to the Government of India giving a most
interesting review of the general political situation in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Major Cox despatch so exactly represents my own opinions on such
questions as lie within my purview that I need do no more than offer a
few observations on one or two special points.
I am more particularly in agreement in his advocacy of a personal
discussion of Gulf questions between His Majesty’s Representative in
Tehran and the Resident in the Gulf. So far as I can see, however,
theie is but little prospect that the state of affairs in the capital will
enable the former to leave his post for some time to come, and the only
alternative would seem to be that the Resident in the Gulf should come
to Tehran. I am not, indeed, prepared to say that the latter is not the
preferable alternative ; the Legation is, indeed, kept so well informed of
Gulf questions, both individual and general, by Major Cox’s admirable
and exhaustive despatches that I doubt whether the short visit which a
Minister could pay to Bushire would add very much to his effective
knowledge. The Resident, on the other hand, is in the nature of things
less well supplied with information on the political conditions at Tehran,
or at all events obtains such information only after considerable delay’
and I am disposed to believe that a visit of the Resident to Tehran
would on the whole produce better results than would a hasty tour in
the Gulf by the Minister. I express this opinion with the greater
confidence after reading Major Cox’s present despatch, in which there is
scarcely a single sentence on purely Persian questions, and but few on
, ma ^ 1 ers outside the jurisdiction of the Legation, which might not
well have been written from Tehran instead of Bushire.
As regards the inimical attitude towards us of some of the Russian
Consular officers m the Gulf, on which Major Cox lays some stress, I must
confess that 1 have not found it easy, in the absence of definite charges,
to approach the Russian Minister on the question. I have, however on
one or two occasions towards the end of last year mentioned to him
that 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. Agent at Lingah frequently found that Sadeed-es-
feultaneh was using his influence as Russian Consular officer to our
detriment. M. de Hartwig promised to send, and I make no question
did send, instructions to the Sadeed to cease from activity of the kind
complained of, but, speaking from memory, I gather from his language
^ G he had not much hope that his injunctions would produce much
effect as Sadeed-es-Sultaneh was rather inclined to be independent
1 +r e neVe -' m ? ntl( ? ned M - Ovseenko’s attitude to M. de Hartwig, as
- 1.1 om fh© occasional references he has made to that gentleman I have
seTLe7 n,hffhh erth ff h< iP/ 3 ve y h y h °P inion of his capacity and
sen ices, and that m default of some definite charge I have felt that no
good would result from doing so.
JvY n S0 v ® r y m li.°h impressed with the desirability of appointing
a British Consular officer in place of 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. Agent atTinhl?
forForeT^AffafrTf hf 1 ^ a l0SS t0 eXplain to ihe ' rersia “ Minister
, , , y Affaus what the precise status of the latter official is. He
exeouatur liasfff t0 posse . ss rl 8'htly any Consular functions, for no
this 1 a natter h gran 1 ^ by the Persian Government. But
view of thL effort f v CO wi ry lmp0r . tance - the real PO^t is that, in
r si!vis,,n h :rs 1 *wk
“J?, 3 xs: d ,1 "" k “ '«»4»s;
The Right Hon.
Sir E. Grey, Bart., M.P.,
&c. &c,
I have, &c.,
Charles M. Marling.