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CHAPTER VIII.

Objectionable or irregular conduct of certain Political Officers and
office establishments.

(i) Impropriety ofcortain of Colonol Herbert’s proceedings, 1873-74.
23d. In 1873-74, several questions arose in which the Political Agent,
Colonel Herbert, and Rcdif Pasha, Vali
Secret, October 1674, Noi. C2-63 (No. Ci).
of .Baghdad, were fouud at variance, of
which the following were tho principal ones :—
(1) Tho official status of Colonol Herbert generally.
(2) Tho propriety of his proceedings in connection with a salute fired in
his honour by tho Comet.
(3) The right of the Comet to navigato the rivers of Mesopotamia.
(4) Tho claims of natives of Bahrein, residing or domiciled in Turkish
Arabia to British Consular protection.
235. In dealing with theso questions Colonel Herbert displayed little tact,
and his conduct towards tho Turkish authorities was so irritating that there arose
between them and Colonel Herbert a feeling of much unfriendliness. The
Secretary of State thought that there was so much of Colonel Herbert’s
inability to cope with the difficulties of his position that it would be desirable,
in the interest of tho Public service, that he should be transferred under the
new Rules of the Indian Political Service, to some other position for which he
might be better fitted (Secretary of State to the Government of India, No. 20,
dated 31st July 1874).
236. Tho Government concurring in this opinion resolved to transfer
Coloucl Herbert to another appointmorit (Despatch to Secretary of State, No.
185, dated 16th Octobor 1865;, but urged the desirability of effecting a speedy
removal also of Rcdif Pasha, whose tone towards the Residency was extremoly
discourteous and would not bo likely to improve even after Colonel Herbert’s
transfer.

<ii) Appointment by Colonel Nixon of Acting Assistant Political Agent at Basrah on
his own authority, 1877.

237. Tho Political Offioor at Basrah is subordinate to the Political Agent
Baghdad, and is entitled Assistant Politi­
Political A., August 1877, Nos. 82-106.
cal Agent. He used to draw his pay from
the Government of India and his appointment rested with the Viceroy up to
the year 1899. This official was, after appointment by the Government of
India, invested with tho rank and powers of a Vico-Consul by tho Foreign
Department of Her Majesty’s Government. In 1877 tho Office fell temporarily
vacant owing to the transfer of Mr. Robertson, its incumbent, to officiate as
Political Agent Maskat; whereupon Colonel Nixon, tho Political Agent,
Baghdad, without consulting the Government of India offered the appointment
of Vice-Consul to a Mr. Carter, and on his accepting it, recommended him for
the appointment to Lord Derby with tho following romarks :—
'* If approved, I would hog Your Lordship will intimate your sanction to
the Indian Government from whom pay is drawn and promotions appear now
to he made.”
In other words Colonel Nixon sought by working through the Foreign
Office in England to force the hand of the Governor" General of India / "Whon
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