Page 333 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

189

CHAPTER XU.

Persian Customs interference with the British Postal arrange­
ments.
(cx) Interference with the parcel system.

727. British post offices were opened in the following ports of Persia, the
Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the years mentioned against each :—
Bushire • •• 1864,
Lingah 1867.
Bundar Abbas... 1867.
Jask ... 1880.
Moliammcrah ... 1892.
728. Fora detailed history of these post offices we must refer to the Memo­
randum on the British Indian Post Offices in the Persian Gulf and Turkish
Arabia, compiled in the Post Master General’s Office. Here we shall relate
recent facts connected with the Persian Customs interference with certain old
postal rights and privileges.
729. These British post offices on the Persian coast were established and
have existed with the tacit approval of the
Secret E., February 190S, N01. 477-502.
Persian Government, though no formal
agreement appears to have ever been made for their creation or maintenance.
For more than forty years letter and parcels have been carried for British and
Persian subjects to the benefit of the latter when no Persian post office was
maintained. No portion of the subsidy paid for the mail steamer has ever been
paid by the Persian Government.
730. When the Belgian Customs Administration was first started, the
question of parcels was raised, and in June
Secret E., February 1905, Nos. 477*Soa (No.
479, enclosures). 1900 an agreement was arrived at between
the Resident and Director-General of Cus­
toms, which is quoted on pages 31 and 32 of the Post Office Memorandum
above referred to, and in the Proceedings noted in the margin.
Article 8 of the Agreement provides that parcels for the Resident, his
assistants, the Residency Surgeon and the
Sec Captain Trevor's telegram, dated 30th Octo­
ber 1904. Residency establishment (officers of the
Secret e., February 1905, Nos. 477*s°2 (No. Superior Service), also that belonging to
47 ' Her Majesty’s and Royal Indian Marine
Ships, should be omitted from the list and delivered direct to the addressees.
This article had been questioned several times by the Customs officials. Mons.
Waffalaert wanted to stop the privilege. But Major Cox pointed out that the
concession was much prized, as it obviated unnecessary delays and formalities
in the Custom House, and that the return forwarded by the post office was an
efficient check, and that if Foreign Consulates objected, as was alleged, our
occupation in the Gulf for the last 150 years should entitle us to enjoy small
concession of this sort. M. Waffalaert expressed himself entirely satisfied.
731. In October 1904, the Ministry of Customs made a formal complaint
.... v, to the British Legation against the British
Post Office at Bushire, stating as their
grievance that it refused to submit to examination by Customs authorities parcels
addressed to the Residency and British Post Office officials. The action of the
British Post Office was contended to be illegal under Articles 27 and 51 of the
R&glement Douanier. The Secretary General wished that in future post bags that
were addressed to British officers at the southern ports must be taken direct to
the Customs House and there opened by British Post Office officials in the pre­
sence of Customs officers, who would retain parcels or letters liable to duty and
give receipt for the same; addressees would then be asked to come and claim
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