Page 143 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter V. 121
119. At this time Iho question for housing the Consulate nt Basrah was also
under consideration. It was therefore con­
ibid No. m sidered desirable to obtain professional ad­
vices as to the projects for rebuilding, and as to the feasibility and cost of
thorough repairs to tho existing buildings, both at Baghdad and Basrah. The
Bombay Government was asked to provide an officer for the purpose. Mr.
Vcovors, an officer in the Bombay Public "Works Department, was thereupon
deputod on this duty to Brsrah and Baghdad. After considering his and tho
Political Resident's report it was decided
• External A., February 1300, Noi. 33-46 (No. 4G). to purchase the new site at Baghdad for
Its. 36,000 (Foreign Department telegram to Resident,1* datod 17Lh January
1900) to which now to bo added the cost of transfer Its. 6S1.
120. As to tho buildings, tho Government of India wore not prepared to
sanction more than Rs.. 3 lakhs including
External A.. May 1001, Noe. 80-00 (No. 80).
the price of the site. Tho plans and esti­
mates were subjected to a good deal of scrutiny, and the ultimate revised esti­
mates (including tho cost of site) amountod to Rs. 3,10,901 or 11s. 3,02,S87
accordingly as the Residency building was to bo constructed with or without
sardahs. Government sanctioned the higher estimates. The sum sanctioned
included Its. 54,097, for tho establishment required for supervising tho conduc­
tion. Iu case the work was given to a contractor, this sum would go to him as
his profits (Foreign Department letter No. G-1-29-A., dated 2nd April 1901).
121. Government expressed their inability to provide any officer to super­
External A., November 1001, Nos. 1-5. vise .the works. So tenders were invited
Eitcroal A., November 1301. Noe. 14-17. for constructing the building. The tender
External A., September 1002, Nos. 100-110. of Herman and Co. was accepted which
amounted to Rs. 2,38,041 including import duties as Rs. 2,31,541 exclusive of
all import for the materials (Foreign Department telegram to the Bombay
Public Works Department, 30th June 1902).
122. As the estimates for the Residency building proper bad to bo revised
subsequently, Il6.1,2S,570 were sanctioned
External A., June 1003, Nos. 74-78.
for it, on condition that the total cost of
all the buildings did not exceed Rs. 2,74,220 including import duties (Foreign
Department telegram to the Bombay Public Works Department, dated 6th
June 1903).
123. The Political Agent at Baghdad had represented to the Government
of India his inability to superintend tho
External A., Juno 1903, Noi. 79-32 (No. 31).
construction of the new Residency build­
ings at Baghdad or to arrange for the submission of the usual departmental
accounts. With the view to relieve him as far as possible of those duties, tho
Government of India decided that Messrs. Herman, tho contractors, should bo
allowed from time to time to submit through the Political Agent to tho Exe­
cutive Engineer, whom the Chief Engineer, Indus Right Bank Division, might
select, their own bills for work done. The Political Agent in forwarding them
would certify as to the level to which the building had been carried, so as to
allow of the Executive Engineer roughly checking the quantities billed for
with the plans, with a view to preventing any considerable overpayment for
work done. The Executive Engineer after having signed the hills, was to
return them to the Political Agent with a certificate as to the total payment
permissible on account. It would rest with tho Bombay Government to decide
whether it would bo necessary to depute a Public Works officer to inspect the
building and check the final bill on tho ground before payment is made, or
whether Messrs. Herman’s own bill ho accepted, supported by a certificate by
the Political Agent that everything had been properly executed to the best of his
knowledge (Government of India, Public Works Department, letter No. 616-C,-
W.-B., dated 12th May 1903).
124. Before constructing the building, it was found necessary to rebuild tho
river wall of the compound. The Vali, however, stopped the work, on the
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