'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.' [‎119v] (243/386)

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22. The Governraent of India reported the matter to the Secretary of State
and asked for the passport officer’s dismissal. The result was that Dr. Miller
employed him as a frontier news- writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. .
23. On the 29th January 1904, Lord Curzon telegraphed to the Secretary
of State a report from Colonel McMahon that the Passport Officer had admitted*
to a native officer of the commission, that he had not intended to commence
passport operations until alter the Id, l hut had been urged to do so b^
M. D’Hoedt and Dr. Miller. The telegram went on to say that Colonel McMahon
believed the passport system had been instituted in Seistan, at the instigation of
the Russians in Seistan or at Meshed, to cause annoyance and irritation on the
Afghan border with a view to hampering our trade.
24s. Sir A. Hardinge complained to the Mushir-ed-Dowleh, under whom
he understood* the pa°sspoit officer to be. M. Naus promised to supersede
M. D’Hoedt as already explained.
25. On the 19th ^February 1904, Captain Macpherson, who had relieved
Captain Ramsay as Consul in Seistan, telegraphed to Sir A. Hardinge
an incident illustrative of the power of oppression possible under the passport
svstem. Six camelmen proceeding with loads to Nasratabad were stopped at
Varmal and made to pay 15 krans (say Rs. 4) each, passport fee. As the men
had no monev, they were obliged to sell one of their camels at a sacrifice to realise
the amount demanded. The men were not allowed to pay on arrival at the city ;
the fees taken were in excess of the authorised scale; and Captain Macpherson
maintained that, as two of the men were transporting his (Captain Macpher-
son’s) personal property, no fees whatever should have been demanded of them.
He suggested that, if the passport regulations could not be altogether suspended,
Seistan”should be treated as a frontier station, and the fee should be limited
accordingly to 4 krans and 10 shahis per man. Further, that it should be
optional for traders and others, obviously proceeding to the city, to pay at the
city.
Sir A, Hardinge telegraphed in reply contesting Captain Macpherson’s
view that persons carrying his personal property should be exempted from pay
ing passport fees, and expressing doubt whether the Persian Government would
consent to suspend the passport regulations in Seistan. He promised, however,
to try and arrange for refund of the excess amount levied and for payment to
be made at Nasratabad instead of on the frontier.
On the 2 nd March 1904, Sir A. Hardinge addressed the Consul, main
taining his view as noted in the first sentence of the foregoing paragraph. He
ridiculed the contention that the introduction of the passport system in
Seistan was a Russo-Belgian conspiracy for harassing British trade, but he
admitted that it was quite likely that Dr. Miller, foreseeing that the rules
would give us some trouble, at any rate at first, did try to press their enforce
ment. He added that it appeared to him scarcely conceivable that, with
a little diplomacy and tactful management, such unpleasant incidents, as
the forced sale of a camel to pay an Indian camel-driver’s fees, could not be
avoided.
2G. After the dismissal of the passport officer, for a time the service
remained in abeyance, but it was revived early in 1905 under the auspices
of the Belgian Customs administration. Thenceforward the possession of
passports was enforced with renewed vigour. A new regulation was
^ «i ~ . — — brought into force including besides other
changes an increase ot the visa tees
from 13 krans 12 shahis to 15 krans. While such was the fee for
Afghans, other foreign subjects were only charged 13 krans 12 shahis
and 4| krans according to their position. Every Afghan "who crossed the
border on a casual visit to the Persian side was required to take out a passport
and to pay the full fee. The passport w r as valid for such period as he remained
in Persian territory, a fresh visa fee being payable every time he crossed the
frontier. On receipt of this information the Government of India requested
* Captain Bamgay subsequently recorded the passport oSicer’s statement to this effect in writing and obtained
h;s signature to it.