Political No. 225 of 1874, Forwarding a Copy of Correspondence with the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf Regarding the Alleged Evasion of Customs Duties at Bushire by Persian Subjects who are Employed as Agents of British Merchants [‎602v] (6/10)

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5 per cent, is the more favorable, then the declaration is made as Indian owned,
and vice versa.
4 . Instances have also occurred where valuable produce belonging to Per
sian subjects has been exported to the United Kingdom under Persian duty; but
the goods bought there with the proceeds of such have been imported into
Bushire as British owned, in both cases it was favorable to declare accordingly.
5 . We respectfully beg to point out that this is clearly a system that will
seriously interfere with our commercial relations with Persia, and we leel sure
it could not have been contemplated when the Treaty was drawn up that
Persian subjects should act for foreign importers at the coast ports; on the
contrary, the spirit of all commercial treaties is that the bona fide foreign
importer should reside on the soil of the native contracting State, vide Treaty
signed at Teheran, 28th October 1841:—“ And the merchants or persons
connected with or dependent on the high contracting parties in each others
dominions, &c. &e.,” thereafter due protection to merchants residing in these
dominions is provided.
6 . It is evident, therefore, that while the resident foreign subject is
bound to conform to the ad valorem duty, the Persian subject acting as agent
for the foreign subject residing out of the dominions can, in virtue of such
agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , not only abrogate the privileges of the Treaty to other British traders
not his employes, but enjoy at same time the privilege of the Persian tariff
when it suits him.
7. We beg, therefore, you will have the goodness to second the endeavours
of the Persian authorities in putting a stop to such an invidious system, so
that British subjects alone, residing in the dominions of the Shah, should be
recognized as entitled to Treaty stipulations as regards payment of Customs duties,
and not agents, who are Persian subjects, at the port of export or import.
Extract of a letter from A. Malet, Esq., Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , Political
Department, to Major S. Hennell, Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , No. 4540, dated ZQth
November 1847.
Paragraph B.—The Governor in Council under the above view considers
Hajee Aga Baba entitled to the privilege he claims, but has required him, in
order to avoid cause fox' dissatisfaction on the paiT of the Pei’sian authorities,
and to diminish as much as possible the means of fi*aud, that he should employ
for his agent at Bushire some one who is also himself a British subject.
No. 4539, dated Bombay Castle, 26th November 1847.
From— A. Malet, Esq., Chief Secy, to the Govt, of Bombay, Political Dept.,
To— Hajee Aga Baba, Bombay.
In reply to your petition dated the 5th March last, I am directed to inform
you that the Hon’ble the Governor in Council recognizes your claim to be
considered a British subject in your mercantile transactions with Persia, hut
requires that you should employ as your agent at Bushire some person who is
himself a British subject.
No. 5-2, dated Bushire, 4th January 1855.
From— Captain A. B. Kemball, Besident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—H. L. Anderson, Esq., Secy, to the Govt, of Bombay, Political Dept.
I have the honor to submit herewith for the c°nsidei"ation of Government
copy of a letter I have addressed to Messi’s. Hormusjee Bomanjee & Co., Pai’see
merchants of Bombay, consequent on notice received by me of their having
consigned a quantity of goods to a native of Bushire in the manner therein
stated, and I trust that the tenor of this document may meet with the approval
of the Bight Honorable the Governor in Council.