Page 149 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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Government intended to carry out this suggestion,
and recommended that the “strongest protest
should he made against a change so injurious t-»
British interests/’ and that His Majesty’s Govern­
ment should resolutely resist the " principle that
quarantine arrangements in the Gulf can be
subverted, without our knowledge or consent, or
that a body of foreigners can bo put in expressly
to hamper British trade, the tonnage of which is
over i)0 per cent, of the total.” The Persian
Government, on being approached by Sir A.
Hardingc, disclaimed all intention of removing
the British doctors; but the British Minister
was informed by the Persian Minister for Foreign
At lairs that certain complaints against the manner
in which they administered the quarantine “ had
suggested to the Shall the idea that it might be
advisable to establish somo closer supervision
over their work.” The question was again raised
in February 1901 by Colonel KembaU’s com­
plaints of interference by tho Customs Depart­
ment in the executive work of the quarantine.
Viceroy's telegram The Government of fndia recommended “ that a
of March 19,1904.
vigorous protest should at once be made against the
disturbance of existing sanitary arrangements,”
but Sir A.llardinge preferred to reserve any strong
remonstrance until we were confronted with somo
definite act of encroachment by the Persian
Government itself. Further interference on the
part of the Customs authorities, coupled with the
activity of M. Bussi6re, a doctor in the employ
of the Customs Department, and attached to the
French Vice-Consulate, and also, us subsequently
appeared, to the Russian Consulate, at Bushire,
again raised the question in an acute form.
Sir A. Hardings to Representations were made by Sir A. Hardinge
Lord Linsdowue, to tho Persian Government and to M. Naus,
September 8,1904.
tho Head of tho Persian Customs, with the
result that in September 1901 the Grand
Vizier promised to soiul telegraphic orders to
Bushire that tho Custom-house officers should
abstain from interfering in tho quarantine
administration of tho Gulf ports. The actual
text of the instructions sont to the Director-
General of Customs, Bushire, was as follows:
“You are to abstain as far as possible
from all interference with quarantine. Recom­
mend this espcoially to Bussidre. At the same
time this does not deprive you of tho right to
report to Tehran any steps by the quarantine
officials which may bo prejudicial to the Persi an
pJ08] G