'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.' [‎148r] (300/386)

37
Daring the time in which I have filled my present office in India I have
done my best to facilitate the progress of trade, and to ensure the adequate
protection of British interests in tho Gulf and in the adjoining provinces and
territories. His Majesty’s Government at home have also been warmly
interested in the matter. The result of these efforts has been that we have
gradually developed the Nushki-Seistan trade-route, which is now a recognised
channel of commerce to Eastern Persia. We have appointed a Consul in
Seistan, and are about to extend the telegraph thither. We now have Indian
officers residing as Consul at Kerman, and as Vice-Consul at Bunder Abbas,
where we are about to build a Consular residence; we have connected Mask at
by cable with Jask, and we hope for further telegraphic extensions in the
interests of trade. We have established a Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrein ; and wo
now have a Consul at Mohammerah and a Vice-Consul atAhwaz. The Karun
trade-route has made substantial progress, and has been supplemented by the
newly-opened road, with caravanserais and bridges, through the Bakhtiari
country to Ispahan. A British Consul has also been appointed to Shiraz. We
have improved and accelerated the mail service to all the Gulf ports. British
India steamers now call at Koweit as well. During the same period British
medical officers have been lent by us to the Persian Government to conduct
the quarantine arrangements in the Gulf. Simultaneously British interests
have found a most vigilant spokesman at Tehran in His Majesty’s Minister,
Sir Arthur Hardinge, who has been good enough to accompany me throughout
my present journey, and with whom I have enjoyed many opportunities of
discussing the common interests of the IJome and Indian Governments in
Persia. I hope that our discussions may be fraught with advantage to the
interests that we jointly represent.
Altogether, Gentlemen, I think it may bo said that in Bushire you receive
an amount of attention that is not always extended in similar measure to places
so remote from headquarters, while the fact that a British Kesident lives in
your midst and is able personally to look after your concerns, which I am glad
to learn from your address that he does entirely to your satisfaction, is a further
guarantee for their protection. I hope that the position which British interests
thus enjoy, and which is neither artificial in origin nor recent in grovyth, since
it is the* result of nearly a century and a half of patient and laborious effort
both by Government and by private enterprise, may long be maintained, and
that Bushire may continue in the future, as it has done in the past, to be the
centre from which this benign and peaceful influence radiates throughout
Southern Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Enclosure VII to 15-
Private interview between His Excellency the Viceroy and Say ad Faisabbm-
Turlciy Sultan of Maskat.
While at Maskat on the 19th November 1903 , His Excellency the Viceroy
accorded a private interview to His Highness Sayad Eaisal-bin-lurki, Su tan of
Maskat, on board the It.I.M.S. Uardmge. at 1-15 1 > M after the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). and
Investiture. Colonel Kemball, Kesidcnt in the Gulf, Major Cox, lohtical
Ao-ent, Maskat, and Mr. Dane, Secretary, Foreign Department, were present.
His Excellency invited the Sultan to state freely and without reserve any
subjects which he desired to bring to notice. The Sultan at first said that lie did
not wish to trouble His Excellency about anything. He dil not anticipate
any further trouble about Itostak. Of course he might have again to appeal to His
Excellency for assistance, but he wanted nothing at present Alter some
further conversation he said that there were two small points that he would
like to mention. First he hoped that His Excellency would again bring to
notice tbe case of his cousin Ali-bin-Salim, who was presented to His Excellency
at the interview at the Sultan’s Bam ( Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). room) and who was removed
from Zanzibar for intriguing against the present Sultan in favour ot Sayad
Khalid on the death of Sayad Burghash. He had now been away from his home