"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎١‎٧] (٦١٦/٣٨)

RESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1905-1906.
17
Sheep. —The embargo on sheep which was removed in 1904 was revired in
December 1905 in connection with a proposed shipment by Mr. Leo Malcolm of
a large number of sheep to be bought on commission for a South African firm.
On the other hand the prohibition against the export of carpus containing
aniline dyes was suspended from April 1905 ostensibly to enable the Minister
of Customs to make inquiry into the problem, but more probably in order
to appease the carpet weavers who had accumulated large stocks of carpets
made with aniline-dyed wool, by letting them unload and get their accumula
tions out of the country.
Mr. A. Gleadowe Newcomen, President of the British Indian Commercial
„ . ,, r . . Mission to South-Eastern Persia, arrived
British Commercial iVlission# , "loi-i nyr •
at Bushire on 12th May 1905, having
been preceded a fortnight before by the other two members of his party, Messrs.
Luffman and Ryan.
The Mission had entered Persia from Bunder Abbas in the preceding
November and travelling via Kerman, Yezd and Shiraz, completed its labours
at Bushire. An interesting and important report of the itinerary and doings
of the Mission and of the conclusions arrived at has since been published by
the Government of India for Mr. Newoomen, and apart from other practical
merits the work forms a valuable book of reference in regard to all matters of
trade and communication in Southern Persia.
It is unnecessary here to make more than passing reference to the work
of the Mission ; for further details attention is invited to Mr. Newoomen's full
report above mentioned. Suffice to say that the general conclusion come to
seems to be that the position of the trade of the British Empire is not so bad
as it seems at first sight and that a good deal can and should be done to
ameliorate the commercial outlook.
On the arrival of the Mission at Bushire (in the absence of the Governor)
the Persian Foreign Office Agent having expressed his inability to call at the
Resident's request on the President, and having subsequently been instructed
to do so by the Mushir-ed-Dowleh at the instance of His Majesty's Legation,
gave as his reason for the omission that while the British Authorities fre
quently asked for the special treatment of their Consular Officers and persons
in a special position like Mr. Newcomen, they did not altogether reciprocate, in
their treatment of Persian officials in India. He said he spoke from personal
experience at Bombay only, though be was inclined to think that the case was
much the same at Calcutta. He was not able, however, to quote any special
instances in point and it is doubtful whether this was his genuine reason, he
having at first told the Resident that having been Consul-General in Bombay
some years ago, he considered that he was of superior standing to
Mr. Newcomen. (He eventually called just after Mr. Newcomen had left the
Subzabad Residency for the Lawrence), His observations regarding
his Indian experiences were, however, communicated to the Government of
India and His Majesty's Legation.
In May 1905, a Monsieur M. T. Hatinoglou, the representative of the
. „ , Sponge Exploration Concessions Syndicate,
The Sponge Exploration Condons Synd.oato. a compan y registered in London,
arrived at Bushire from Europe, and asked the assistance of the Residency in
obtaining concessions for "the exclusive right to fish for sponges, pearls,
corals, and all other undersea produce suitable for commercial purposes."
Monsieur Hatinoglou was advised to refer to His Majesty's Government in
the first instance. This he did, and while correspondence was proceeding, he
employed his time in exploring likely fields in Gulf waters. In October 1905
he informed His Majesty's Vice-Consul that he had obtained a concession
from the Persian Government and soon afterwards proceeded to Maskat,
where although the Sultan had been warned of his intentions, he was able on
9tb November to obtain a concession from His Highness for sponge
fishing for 15 years, the cancellation of which was recommended, but was
not considered feasible by His Majesty's Government. It was subsequently
ascertained that the Persian concession had been obtained from His Majesty
the Shah while travelling in Europe.
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