Page 267 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

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their lmving been inspected by tho customs officers. It was strongly suspected that the post*
master was aware of tho prohibition and had accepted the parcels knowingly. He was just
then in had health and tho opportunity was taken to remove him.
148. In September 1806, tho Consul-General, Baghdad, found it necessary to direct the
Letter No. 40r<8, dated 13tii January 18GS, from postmaster to transfer to the Custom-house nil
tho PoitiuMtcr-Ucncrkl, Bombay, to tho Director- book-packets received by letter mail, in conscqu-
0c,,crn,• tnco of urgent representations made to him by
tho Vali of Baghdad to the effect that largo quant ities of books on which duty was leviable and
tho contents of which required examination by the Director of Public Instruction wero being
imported through the post office. In course of time these orders appear to havo been lost
sight of, and the divisional superintendent, Mr. A. J. Ilughos, when inspecting the Baghdad
post office in April 1003, roported that objectionable hooks wore being imported by book post.
The Consul-General's attention was drawn to the standing orders. That officer, however,
deprecated tho idea of transferring books to the Customs Department, and at his suggestion
it was arranged that all book packets, registered or unregistered, received by the letter mail,
Director-Qcocrnl’* No. 812-F.P., dated tho lith should be submitted to tho Consul-General, and
September 1803, to Poitmaistcr-Gooeral, Bombay, under his orders delivered to the addressees, or
returned to tho senders through the Dead Letter Ollicc with tho remark “ Delivery
prohibited.0
162. As the procedure in tho Baghdad post office is exceptional tho following synopsis has
been drawn up principally on reports made to the Postmastcr-Gcnoral, Bombay, by Mr. S. P.
Vas, late postmaster of Baghdad.
103. The incoming 6teamer on hor way up the river to tho Custom-house wharf stops
opposite the private landing steps of the British
Landing of mails.
Consulate-General at any hour of tho day or night
while her mails, letter and parcel are landed. Should the postmaster be absent, the bags are
made over to the Native Infantry Guard at tho Residency uud remain in their custody till tho
postmaster arrives.
164. No delivery of letters is made to the general public in tho town. Distribution is
confined to a “Window Delivery." All articles
Delivery of Utter ma« a. remaining unclaimed at the end of three days are
placed in " deposit” and a list is prepared in Arabic and exposed on a notice-board at the door ;
of tho post office. As an exception to this general rule, letters for British subjects residing ;
near the Residoncy and those for II. E. tho Vali Pasha (Governor-General), II. E. the Mushir
Pasha (Cominander-in-Chief), and those for tho French, Russiau, and Persian Consulates arc
sent out for delivery by a kavas of the Residency,
165. Letters, etc., addressed to insolvents are made over to the Residency dragoman who
delivers those for Turkish subjects to the Tijara
Delivcry to insolvent*.
Macamasi and those for foreigners to their rcs-
pectivo Consulates. Doubtful cases of nationality aro disposed of under tho orders of tho
Consul-General.
166. Letters, etc., addressed to prisoners or deoeased persons, British or British-Indian
Ditpoial of articles addressed to prisoners and do- subjects, arc delivered to the office of the Consul-
ceascd persons. General. Similar articles for foreigners aro dis­
posed of under the ordors of the Consul-General.
167. In the office of tho Consul-Gcnernl a list of foreign newspapers is kept up, tho
circulation of which is forbidden by II. M.'s
Spoeial treatment of ncwipapor*. Ambassador. Any -newspaper, Arabic, French or
Greek, coming under tlii6 category is consigned by the first outgoing mail to tho Bombay
Dead Letter Office.
168. Since the abolition of " Insurance," attempts are made, particularly by Jews, to
smuggle in precious stones nud jewellery in regis­
Dutiable articles la rrglitcrcd letter*.
tered letters. The procedure in such cases sanc­
tioned by the Postmaster-General of Bombay, and approved by the Rerideut is that all letters
suspected to contain valuables should he transferred to tho Cu6tom-house and a report madn
through the divisional superintendent of post offices, Persian Gulf and Turkish Arabia, to tho
Postmaster-Gcnoral, Bombay. The addressee of any suspected article is summoned to attend
the post office or apuoiut an agent to attend on his behalf. Tho registered letter or packet
is opened in his presence and, if found to contain drugs or anything not of intrinsic value, is
delivered, otherwise tho contouts, with the wrapper, arc forwarded to the Custom-house and
delivered in the simo manner as parcels.
189. Service-privileged correspondence between Turkish Government Departments, pro­
perly franked, is allowed to pass free of postage
Scrvicc-privllfgcd oorrevpondcncc.
bctwcon Baghdad and Basra and t'tcc vena. All
othor correspondence is charged at ordinary unpaid postage rates, except such as is addressed
to the Vali or Mushir Pasha, which are dolivered free. All applications for the refund of post­
age once charged must bo made through the Yuli to the Consul-Goneral.