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Part II.
Agent at Kerbella cum Nejaf. When this appointment was originally
made it cannot bo traced ; but Mahomed Taki Khan hold the post since
1885 (Colonel Mockler’s letter No. 171,
External A., September 1892, Noi. 173-181.
dnted 23rd August lb02). As Agent for
the Oudh Boqucst, he received a salary of Its. 255 per mensem out of the
bequest, besides many of his relations who assisted him received handsomo
salavios out of the samo fund.
58. Nawab Mahomed Hussain Khan was for long the distributor of the
Oudh Bequest at Kathiraain, and held
Intorual A., Juno 1890, Not. 37-43.
the position of our Jlonovary Agent at
Kathimain. After his death about 1888, his oldest son Aga Mahomed Khan
was appointed Agent in his place. He receivod a salary of Rs. 2S3 out
of the fund (Colonel Tweodio’s letter to the Government of India, No. 123,
datod 12th March It90).
59. In 1879 Colonel Miles, Political Agent, Turkish Arabia, visited Kerbclla
and Nejaf. At tho former place he
Secret, March 1S80, No*. 17C-170.
found an Indian population estimated at
5,000 in number. Much inconvenience was felt by them for want of a
Consular Officer. The Agent appointed by tho Residency for the purpose of
distribution of the Oudh Endowment Fund, Nawab Hydcr Ali Khan, interested
himself in tho welfare of Indians. But as he had no recognized official position
ho was not able to give them that full and adequate assistance that was
urgently required. Colonel Miles therefore proposed the appointment of an
Honorary Consular Agent for Kerbclla cum Nejaf, with a small establishment
(Colonel Miles to the British Embassy, No. 112, dated 21-th Novemboc 1879).
60. The proposal was favourably considerably considered, but it was
abandoned on account of the unwilling­
Political A., Juuo 1880, Nos. 142-147.
ness of Her Majesty’s Government to
sanction any expenditure on this account from Imperial funds. (Second
enclosure to letter from the Secretary, Secret and Political Department No. 31,
dated 12th Pcbruary 1880.)
61. In 1885 Mr. Plowdon propospd the appointments of Consular Agents
at Kerbella and Kathimain (Mr. Plowden’s despatch No. 262, dated 28th
May 1885, to the British Embassy). But his proposal was abandoned on
. the ground of the inexpediency of moving in the matter, when the question
of new Consular Agencies was under consideration between Her Majesty’s
Government and the Porte.
62. In 1890, Colonel Tweedie, in making certain proposals about the
administration of the Oudh Bequest,
External A., Juno 1890, Noi. 37-43.
suggested that Mahomed Taki Kban,
the distributor of the Bequest at Kerbella, should be gazetted as our Agent,
and paid out of our revenues, that the appointment should be attached to the
Baghdad Consulate and that its incumbent should bo liable to transfer (Colonel
Tweedie to the Government of India, No. 123, dated 12th March 1890).
No orders were passed on this proposal.
63. In 1892 Colonel Mockler reported that there was at Kerbella and Najaf
a population of about 2,000 souls, whose disputes among themselves were re­
ferred to our native agent Mahomed Taki Khan for adjudication. But he had
no recognized position as a Consular Officor to legalize his decisions. For. this
and other reasons lie proposed that Moharaed Taki Khan should be appointed
as our Consular Agent at Kerbclla cum Nejaf (Colonel Mocklcr’s letter
No. 171, dated 23rd November 1892).
64. The Government of India recommended this proposal for approval to
the Secretary of State, pointing out that the agent was paid of the Oudh
Bequest at the rate of Rs. 255 ‘per mensem, and that the proposed appointment
involved no charge on the British Government (Despatch No. 14U-Externali
dated 9th August 1892).
'•
i 65. The Foreign Office approved of the proposal and the Porte, having been
moved in tho matter, sent instructions
Secret E„ March 1891, Noi. 677-578.
under date 10th August 1893 to the > o i
at Baghdad for the recognition as “ Consular Agent at Kerbella ’of Hawn
Mahomed Ibrahim Khan, a nephew of Mahomed Taki Khan deceased since i
original proposal made by in 1892 (Foreign Office to the India Office, do t*
8th January 1894).