'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎86r] (176/386)

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should he of a more practical nature than those previously in force, and
in order to encourage officers to learn the language of Persia as spoken in
the country, and not as used in India. Special allowances were sanctioned for
officers qualified in European or Oriental languages which were likely to be of
service ; and special attention was paid to linguistic proficiency in selecting
candidates for political employ. The experiment was adopted of deputing
young officers of the Indian Army to visit Persia for fixed periods. One officer
was sent under this arrangement to Seistan and another to Sliiiaz, uheie 10
resided for a term of some months. But the plan was attended with but small
success, and was abandoned in favour of a more satisfactory expedient. Addi
tional appointments were sanctioned—first at Nasratabad and later at Busline-
to be held by junior officers of the Political Department who would be in
reserve and qualifying to afford assistance to consulates in Eastern and Western
Persia respectively on the necessity arising in the event of the grant of leave,
etc., to incumbents. There was every reason to believe that the measures
adopted would in the next few years produce a great and distinct imxu’ovement
in the qualifications of the Indian officers serving in Persia.
18. In order fitly to support the dignity of their office in localities to which
they were posted, provision of suitable
Seistan Consulate building. accommodation for the new Consuls was
tahen up simultaneously with their appointment. The question arose first in
Seistan where new buildings were ordered in 1900. But these were not constructed
without considerable opposition from the Hashmat ul-Mulk who was completely
under the influence of M. Miller, the Bussian Vice-Consul, with the result
that, at his bidding, all carpenters and masons were withdrawn irom the
Consulate premises and forbidden to work for the British Consul under penalty
of a public beating and imprisonment. Frequent representations to the
Legation were necessary before all opposition vanished, and it was not till
May 1903 that the Consulate buildings were reported as complete, the total
sum expended on the construction and furnishing of the Consulate being
Ks. 25 069, exclusive of a sum of Us. 33,514 paid to the Persian Government
in November 1903 for purchase of the site. The area of the ground occupied
by the Consulate, including a hospital, offices, etc., was 20 5 acres.
19. Bunder Abbas next claimed attention. The house occupied by the
Vice-Consul at Naband had been to some
Bunder Abbas Consulate building. extent improved but was not suitable for
permanent residence and the landlord was difficult to deal with. This fact
combined with general political considerations, decided the Government ot India
to build a new Consulate and application for a site was made to the I ersian
Government in 1903. Considerable correspondence followed regarding the
cost of the building, it being difficult to induce contractors to undertake the
construction within a limited grant. Finally a site acceptable to the Govern
ment of India was granted by the Persian Government in August L30o and
the construction of the buildings was ordered in the following October, the
estimated cost being Bs. 77,000.
20. On arrival at Kermanshah in July 1904, the Consul reported his inabili
ty to hire a suitable dwelling. 1 he Bussian
Kermansbah Consulate building. Consul at that place who had recently
arrived was looking out for a house audit was suspected would outbid the British
Consul for the purchase of the only suitable building available at a moderate
figure The Government of India sanctioned the purchase of the house which,
with alterations and repairs, amounted to a total expenditure of Bs. 33,000.
21. At Ahwaz no suitable residence was available for purchase. The
Government of India consequently sanc-
Ahwaz Vice-Consulate building. tioned the construction of a new building.
The plans and estimates were under examination when Lord Curzon left India.
22 At Kerman Major Sykes reported that a suitable residence was ail-
able for rent, and in these circumstances
Kerman Consulate building- tllf) cons t r action of a new Consulate was