Page 166 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Part II.
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223, Tho Government of India in their No. 107, dated 30th Juno 1888,
observed :—
*« We have no doubt that Her Majesty’s Government will take nny steps which may bo
thought necessary to guard against the possible risk of general decrease of British influonco in
Turkish Arabia owing to the contraction of the geographical limits of the vilayate to which its
consnls are accredited. As far as Indian interests are concerned, wo are of opinion that they
can bo sufficiently protected by the Political Resident without any further recognition of his
titlo by the Sublime Porto.
" Lord Salisbury’s lotlcr of the 20th March 188S to Her Majesty’s Ambassador and
Plenipotentiary at Constantinople appears us to meet the requirements of the case, and wo
concur with your Lordship in not considering it necessary to move further in the matter.”
(d) The question raised in 1903 and orders given for adoption hy the Resident in future of only
the title of His Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General at Baghdad
221. Tho quostion arose in 1903, when Colonel Newmarch having addressed
tho Foreign Consuls, at Baghdad on tho
Zitcrutl A., May 1901. Koa. 157-107. occasion of Ilis Majesty’s birth-day, the
French, German and Russian Consular
officers sent him identical letters, requesting that he should not employ tho
title of Resident ns well as of Consul-General in addressing them. The reasons
which led him to uso tho dual title on the occasion aro explained by him in his
letter No. 770, dated 18th November 1903, to the Government of India :—
„ In tho day when Mr. (now Sir Trevor) Plowdcn was Rcsidont and Consul-General at
Baghdad, ho always employed tin, dual titlo in his official letters, but in those days the only
Consuls here were the French and Russian.
"There arc several letters on record hero from him to two successive French Consuls, M.
Peretic and M. DeSarzee, and to one Hussian Consul M. Kbcihard, in which he usod the dual
title and they took no exception to it, though in their replies they only addressed him as
Consul-General.
" Aftor Mr. Plowdon’s departure tho practice of using the dual title appears to have been
dropped.
" Since Juno 1903, I hava begun to again use it, though not in my letters to the Turkish
authorities. I have not hod occasion to write to the French or German Consuls officially of
late, and therefore I have not used the dual title to them until now. I have however had
occasion to write two letters to the Russian Consul-General on the 13th October. 1903 and
tho 2nd November 1903 and I employed tho dual title in those letters, but he took uo excep­
tion to it, though in replying he addressed mo only as Consul-General.
" These facts led me to suppose that there would he no objection on the part of my
colleagues to the continued use of the dual title, and therefore in addressing them on the
occasion of His Majesty’s birthday I used the dual title to all of them, viz., to the Consuls-
General of Russia and Persia, to tho Consul of Germany, and the Vice Consuls of America
and France. An additional reason for my using the dual title on this occasion was that I
thought l was celebrating the birthday of His Majesty, not only as King, but also as Emperor
of India, and that I was therefore acting in a spoeial way in a dual capacity.”
225. In reply to his communication, Colonel Newmarch was in demi-offi-
oitU letter, dated -JLth January 1901, referred to the correspondence of 1888 and

“ It is a pity, you should have revived tho practice, which has apparently fallotv into
disuse of describing^ yourself as Resident, when writing on your consular capacity. Please
abandon the practice in future.”
226. On tho 14th January 1901, tho Secretary of State telegraphed to tho
Viceroy referring to Colonel NewmarcVs despatch and standing—
• "British Ambassador, Constantinople, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs both think
it desirable th.it tiile Political Resident shall not bo used in communication with Ottoman
authorities and Consular Body."
227. The Government of India informed tho Secretary of State in reply
that Colonel Newmarch had been instructed by us not to uso title of Residoui
whon wriiing in Consular capacity as soon as wo received information.
228. Colonol Newmarch addressed thon on 17 th February 1904, tho
following loiter to tho three Consul Officers at Baghdad who had objected