Page 140 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

118 Part II.

105. In 1902, tho Haji Ismail (recent owner of tlio Consulato building)
olTcrcd to sell to Government a garden at
External A., March 1003, Nos. 13—14.
tbc roar of tho Consulate Premises, ovor
which a right of way had been granted when the recent salo was effected. Gov­
ernment declined to purohaso it.
106. Haji Ismail then proposed to sell it to another person, Major New-
march raised no objection to this but only
External A., July 1903, No, 71.
rominded him of the right of way granted
at the recent sell and warned him to take proper measures to scouro this right
when the salo of the garden is effected.
107. Pending completion of tho now building the British Council was
allowed to biro a houso on an annual
External A., May 1901, No. 95.
rental of £7,150 per annum.
(e) Proposed construction of a neio Consulate building at Basrah and the liabi­
lity of the Government of India to pay its cost, 1900.
108. The following letter of the Poreign
Eitornal A., May 1000, Nos. 127-139.
Offico to tho India Office, dated 13lh Nov-
ember 1899, shows bow this question aroso :—
“ By your letter of the 31st August 1893, the Secretary of State for India in Council sanc-
tioned a charge on Indian revenues on account of Her Majesty’s Consulato at Basrah of
£ 1,400 a yoar, which was to include all charges effective and non-effective, connected with the
Consulate.
I am directed to transmit to you copy of a despatch from Mr. Wratislaw, tho present
Consul Wratiiiaw's No. 5 (Consular), duted 2Sth Consul, relative to the Consular promisee at that
September lb9j. place.
Mr. Wratislaw states that one of his predecessors, Major Fagan, reported to the Indian
Government, same time before the transfer of the post to the Imperial Government, that the
Consular house was in a dangerous condition. Mr. Veevers, the official, sent by the Indian
Government in consequence to inspect the house, furnished a report, copy of which is inclosed
by Mr. IVratislaw, showing that tho buildings were at that time in a stato of extreme
dilapidation and subsequently prepared plans and estimates for a new Consulate which the
Indian authorities refused to carry out on the ground that tho post had meanwhile been taken
over by tho Home Government.
There is nothing in the carrcspondcncc relative to the transfer of the post to show that
the Consular premises would require immediate re-building; and Lord Salisbury was unaware
of the fact when consenting to the term of the transfer, iJis Lordship cousidcrs that an under­
taking of such magnitude cannot he held to come under tho heading "Contingent expendi­
ture’1 shown in the statement which accompanied the despatch from the Government of India
of May 5th, 1893, and on which the negotiations were founded. The Indian authorities
might fairly bo expected to transfer the house in a habitable condition, and Lord Salisbury
trusts that the Government of India will not repudiate all liability in connection with the
matter, on the ground that they arc now making a contribution bases on average expenditure.
Tho cost, according to the cstimato drawn up by Mr. Veevers, as modified by the Council
amounts to three thousand pounds. Part of this could, if absolutely necessary, he raised by
£3 000 selling a portion of the Consular site, although
’ Mr. Wratislsaw deprecates this arrangement, and
Lord Salisbury agrees that it would be most undesirable,
I am to request that you will move Lord George Hamilton to represent the above con­
siderations to the Government oF India and urge upon them tho propriety of reconsidering
the decision conveyed to Her Majesty's Council at Busrah, of carrying out the plans prepared
by their Agent, and of defraying the cost thereof from Indian funds.11
# 109. Lord Gcorgo Hamilton referred the matter to the Government of
India, who replied in their despatch No. 53, dated 3rd May 1900.
:
“Wo acknowledge the liability of the Government of India to meet the cost of rebuilding
the Consulate, which is represented to have been in a dangerous condition at the time of the
transfer of the Basrah Consulate to the control of Her Majesty’s Government, and we are
prepared to contribute a sum not exceeding £ 3,000 from Indian revenues for the work.
Your Lordship is aware that the calculation,on which our present contribution towards tho cost
of tho Basrah Consulate is based includes a sum of Us. 5,759-3-0. representing tlie a%^cra^c
expenditure incurred on account »f the Agency during the five years 1x92-93 to 1896-J/
under the head of “Contingent Expenditure.11 Wo notice that, when the Consulate lias been
built, Lord Salisbury is prepared to admit the Consul's liability to meet the cost of repairs
until the proposed revision of the whole arrangement after live years. In these circumstances,
and considering that a luvgc portion of tho sum previously disbursed under the hc-iu
Contingent " Expenditure ’’ represented expenditure on reclamation and repairs to the on