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British interests.
52. The Consulate was in charge of Mr. H. A. D. Hoyland, until April
22nd when he proceeded on leave prior to transfer, handing over to Mr. W. H. Young,
Acting Vice-Consul, Mr. C. A. Gault arrived from KerraarLshah in July and remain
ed in charge until November 21, when Mr. A. E. Watkinson took over on transfer
from Ahwaz.
53. The Governor General of Ears called on His Majesty’s Consul on the oc
casion of the death of His Majesty King George V. Owing to Court Mourning no
official celebration took place on the Birth-day of His Majesty King Edward VIII.
News of the abdication of King Edward in December was reported without com
ment in the local press. The flag was flown on December 14 on the occasion of the
Birthday of His Majesty King George VI.
54. During 1938, the Officiating 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. , the
Secretary to 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. , and 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. Surgeon visited Shiraz on
recess. Mr. Butler and Mr. Reilly, of His Majesty’s Legation at Tehran, also visit
ed Persepolis and Shiraz. His Majesty’s Consul at Kerman also passed through
Shiraz.
55. Mr. R. F. G. Sarell and Mr. Robert Cecil, Probationer Vice-Consuls, arrived
at Shiraz on December 31 to be attached to His Majesty’s Consulate as language
students. Mr. W. H. Young left for Tehran a few days later.
56. Other British visitors during the year included Brigadier General Prickett,
Lord Alington, the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the Tehran and Isfahan
Managers for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co., and various geologists, together with Mr.
Schofield an industrialisation expert, who was touring Iran under the auspices of
the Oil Company, members of the Church Missionary Society, and a archseologist
and an Indian professor. And a large party of students from London camped in
the Consulate garden in September, as they were unable to appreciate the accom
modation provided for them elsewhere by the local authorities who otherwise did
all that could be desired to render their visit profitable and to facilitate their de
parture. A party of photographers employed by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. visited
Persepolis and the Sugar Factory An East India Company trading post. in December and was endeavouring to find camels
and lorries in close juxtaposition in accordance with modern ideas of advertise
ment, and to satisfy certain recent Police regulations.
57. In addition to the above activities, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company sent
a large geological expedition to make a survey of the whole area between Shiraz
and Bandar-Abbas and of the Ardakan area in the west of the Province with a view
to determining whether any portion of Fars is to be included in the final concession
area. The Company also made arrangements for the supply of oil in bulk from
Bushire to the Sugar Refinery at Merv Dasht and installed large depots with petrol
pumps at Kaserun and at Shiraz. It is reported that a motor road is to be
made by the Company from Ganawah to Borazjan, which may render them in
dependent of the present track over the “ mashileh ”.
58. The work of the Church Missionary Society’s Hospital at Shiraz has con
tinued successfully. Some difficulty with the Municipal Health Officer was settled
by the Governor General at the request of the Acting Consul. Bishop Thompson
visited the district in September and inaugurated a church at Qalat, 25 miles to
the north-west of Shiraz.
59. The Fars Manufacturing Company’s cotton mill has been mentioned else
where. Three English Engineers employed there resigned early in the year, as
payment of their salaries in accordance with their contract was not in accordance
with the new fiscal regulations. They were replaced by two other English Engineers
who accepted payment on different terms. Mr. Hussein Agar, of the firm of
Hadji Ali Akbar and Sons of Manchester and founder of the Fars Manufacturing
Company was absent in Bushire at the end of the year supervising the erection of
another factory An East India Company trading post. , having resigned his post as Director of Government Trading Com
panies. His son, Mr. Charles Agar, was technical manager of the Shiraz mill
throughout the year.
60. The British colony in the district of His Majesty’s Consulate at Shiraz
numbered 123 at the end of the year. Half of these are at Isfahan and half at
Shiraz. A considerable amount of the work of the Consulate consisted in routine
matters connected with Isfahan. His Majesty’s Consul and the Acting Consul
each paid long visits to Isfahan during the year. Arrangements were also made