Coll 28/67 ‘Persia. Annual Reports, 1932–’ [‎136r] (271/644)

15
78. A note on these lines was addressed to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
on the 21st March, and as the Iranian Government at once accepted the suggestion
that Colonel Ward should come to Tehran, and themselves agreed to summon
Lieutenant-Colonel Bayendor, it became possible to hold detailed discussions by
the middle of April.
79. Briefly, it was the object of His Majesty’s Minister and Colonel
Ward :—
(a) To negotiate a comprehensive business settlement for the transfer at a
fair price of the lights and buoys belonging to the Government of
India, and
(b) To obtain, if possible, some form of undertaking that the Iranian
Government would levy dues for the maintenance of their new system
on a reasonable scale.
80. Meetings were held with the Iranian representatives on the 16th April
and the 20th April, and all went smoothly. The list of lights and buoys which
the Government of India were prepared to hand over was communicated to
Colonel Bayendor and though he drew attention to the omission of both the Tamb
lighthouse and the lights in the Hooka Channel from the list, no awkward
discussions arose as he at once withdrew over Tamb, when His Majesty’s Minister
explained that it could not come within the scope of the present discussions, and
over the Rooka Channel, when it was pointed out to him that the lights there
were the property, not of the Government of India, but of the Iraqi Government.
81. Colonel Ward and Colonel Bayendor also met privately one afternoon
and discussed some of the technical questions involved. The latter then made it
clear that the Iranian Government intended eventually to establish a number of
fresh lights, e.g., on Farur Island and off Ras-ul-Mutaf.
82. Agreement was finally reached on the following lines :—
(1) The Iranian Government agreed to purchase all the lights, &c., at the
prices named, with the exception of the Qais Island Lightship;
(2) The Iranian Government desired to rent the lightship until such time as
they had erected on shore a lighthouse to replace it, a proposal which
His Majesty’s Minister accepted subject to reference to the
Government of India;
(3) The question of the lights on the buildings belonging to Cable and
Wireless (Limited) at Hen jam and Charbar was to be held over until
His Majesty’s Minister received instructions as to their value;
(4) His Majesty’s Minister agreed that His Majesty’s consulate-general at
Bushire would continue to maintain the lights situated within the
property of the consulate-general until such time as the Iranian
authorities had installed other lights;
(5) Colonel Ward agreed to supply any necessary spares at cost price;
(6) Colonel Bayendor asked that, as from the date when the Iranian Govern
ment purchased the lights, &c., Colonel Ward should maintain them
on their behalf until such time as the Iranian authorities were in a
position to take over the service themselves. During this period the
Iranian Government would refund to Colonel Ward all costs incurred
by him on their behalf.
(7) The Iranian delegates stated that the Ministry of Finance had given a
formal assurance that dues would not be levied at a rate greater than
was necessary to cover the costs of operation and the amortisation of
the capital invested.
83. A draft provisional agreement on these lines was later drawn up in
His Majesty’s Legation and accepted by the Iranian delegates, subject to final
reference to the Ministry of War. His Majesty’s Minister also made it clear
on his side that the approval of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom
and the Government of India would equally be necessary.
84. The general conclusion to be drawn from these meetings was that
Colonel Bayendor himself was by no means keen to take over the lighting service,
but that for reasons of prestige the Iranian Government were now determined
to assume responsibility for it themselves. Colonel Bavendor showed himself to
be most eager to co-operate closely with Colonel Ward during the transitional
period, and the negotiations in general were conducted in the most friendly spirit.