Page 184 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

102 Part II.
282. In their dospatcU to tho Secretary of Stato, dated 12th May 1884,
tlio Govomment of India asked for tho
i A., Political 0., Juuo 1884, No*. 0-10.
approval of llcr Majesty’s Government to
Major Mockler’s appointment ns Acting Consul at liasrah, as he had already
rocoivcd a ltoyal Commission for tho Mnskat Consulate. It was at tho aamo
timooxplaincd that, ns the transfers of officorsof our Political sorvice, both in the
Porsion Gulf and clsowhere, were at times unavoidably so frequent, it hardly
seemed necessary for us to apply for Royal Commission in each ease.
Our despatoh was communicated by tho India Office to Her Majesty’s
Secretary of Stato for Foreign AITairs, with a view to the necessary notion being
taken in regard to Major Moeklor's appointment. Tho usual authority was
accordingly givon by Earl Granville, authorizing Major Mocklor to act ns
British Consul at Basrah; hut His Lordship pointed out certain irregularities
in regard to tho Basrah appointment, which aro explained by the fact that the
Government of India had not been explicit enough as to the nature of the
powers required for each Consul, whether noting or not, Earl Granville there­
fore requested that the Government of India should, iu future, be more parti­
cular to state precisely the character of such appointments, as the process of
obtaining the necessary Commissions from the Turkish or Persian Government,
is often very lengthy and troublesomo, and ample notice should therefore be
givon in the cases of officors appointed permanently os Consuls: whereas tho
authorization of officers to act as Consuls temporarily is within the powers of
the London Foreign Office. Lord Kimberley commended these remarks to the
consideration of the Government of India.
283. The irregularity referred to in the London Foreign Office letter was
in regard tQ Mr. Robertson's Commission
A., Gontral 0., April 1883, No. 107.
as Consul for Basrah, for whom originally
a Berat was obtained as permanent Consul. On roceving our despatch of
April 1883, a fresh Commission was obtained for Lieutenant Ramsay, as be
was designated by us os “ Assistant Political Agent, Basrah ,** and we asked
Her Majesty’s Government to obtain “ Consular” powers for him* The
inference drawn by Her Majesty’s Government was that Lieutenant Ramsay
had been appointed permanently, thus succeeding Mr. Robertson. On this it
appears that the latter’s Commission was cancelled, and a fresh one obtained for
Lieutenant Ramsay instead. Lord Granville in the circumstances wished to
know seeing that Major Mocklers* appointment was only that of an acting
Consul, whether Lieutenant Ramsay’s Commission ns permanent Consul should
he cancelled, and a fresh Commission obtained for Mr. Robertson, who, it was
thought, was still the permanent incumbent of the Basrah Consulate. Her
Majesty’s Secretary of State for India drew attention to this enquiry of Lord
Granville,and requestqd “further information,”
2S4. The reply of the Government of
General A., October 1881, No*. 40-44 (No. 44).
India was (Despatch No. 40, dated 13th
October 1884:—
“ With reference to the irregularities printed out by Earl Granville in regard to the
Basrah Consulate, we have tho honour to explain, for Your Lordship's information, that thq pay-
of our Political Officers being generally personal, and not local, every incumbent of a Political
appointment, whose name i* permanently on the graded list., holds that appointment perma­
nently in theory; but that practically frequent changes and transfers are rendered necessary by
the exigencies of the public service.
Under these circumstances, although the practice above described may be attended with
inconvenience so far as Consular work is concerned, occasional changes at Basrah cannot, be
avoided. We shall, however, endeavour to prevent such changes from occurring oftener than
necessary, and we shall henceforth, if Your Lordship secs no objection,confine our requests to
asking for acting Consular commissions for our Political Officers in the Persian Gulf and Tur­
kish Arabia. At the same time, it seems convenient that some officer in the Political service
should hold a permanent B^at from the Ottoman Porte for the Basrah Consulate, and we see
therefore no objection to allowing the Commission to stand in the name of Lieutenant
Ramsay ",
0antral A., Norcmbor 1886, Foreign Department 285. Tho instruction then given by
Utter to Political UciMcnt, Turkiib Arabia. No
1189-0, dated 27ib Jaouary 1886. the Foreign Ollieo were:—