مجموعة ٥٩/٣٠ "الخليج الفارسي. تأسيس البحرية الفارسية، إلخ" [و‎‎١‎٦‎١] (٦٢٤/٣٢٢)

Decypher. Sir ii
D, 5(,20 p*m
H. 9 a C)0 a.m
m. 8tli July, 1930o
m. 9th July, 1930*
No. 157
No. 122 of May 30th.
I spoke to Minister for Foreign Affairs yesterday
about Persian navy and said that there appeared to be
complete misapprehension on the part of Minister of Court.
His Majesty’s Government who had frequently been asked
to tender advice to foreign governments in naval matters
an" to loan personnel could not contamplate sharing such
responsibilities with a third government. I understood
that Persian Government had now definitely ordered two
ships in Italy. If Persian Government preferred that
command of these vessels oe confided to British officers
His Majesty’s Government would systematically consider
Persian proposal but His Highness must (?group omtcw) that
a combination of Italian and British officers was impossible
end could only create friction. His Highness must also
realise that suggestion of Minister of Court that His
Majesty's Government present to Persian Government some ten
ships was ridiculous. I presumed that Persian Navy v/as
not intended for offensive purposes. “Certainly not”, he
replied, "nor even for defence but solely for suppression
of contraband”. In that case I said I trusted Persian
Government would not waste money in buying unnecessary
number of ships. I had the impression that Persian Govern
ment hardly realised that the bigger the ship the greater
the cost of maintenance. „ . ^
From conversations last autumn with Senior Naval
Officer I felt that British officers with their experience
of the Persian Gulf could successfully run a contraband
preventive ser/ice with minimum number of ships and at a
minimum cost. His Highness said he would study the question
before expressing any views.