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Persian Gulf, and as their establishment and funds arc independent of any commercial
convention between Persia and ourselves, they arc altogether outside the scope of its
jurisdiction. We are in a position to maintain this view if we please by forcible means,
but 1 have added that l should be quite willing to discuss and submit to Government of
India any special arrangements relating to the payment of duty on parcels which Persian
Government may wish to embody in a new agreement ad hoc.
742. On the 24th February 1905 Sir A. Hardinge telegraphed to say that
the Persian Government put forward the
Ibid, No. 16.
following proposals—(1) to separate letter
bags from parcel bags, the latter being liable to be examined by the
Customs authorities in accordance with Article 27 of the R&glemcnt; (2) to
conclude with them a special agreement regulating the exchange of postal
correspondence between India and Persia. They pointed out that Persia had
now a parcel postal service of her own, and that it could never have been intend­
ed that parcels containing dutiable articles should, without payment of duty, enter
the country through our post offices.
743. The Government of India telegraph­
Ibid, No, 17.
ed in reply on 16th March 1905—
“The Persian Government claim apparently that parcels should be separately bagged
in order that they may be delivered direct at Customs Houses at Persian Gulf ports and
are not prepared to accept the arrangement outlined in iny telegram dated 14th December
1904. Further information is desirable as to the full meaning of the Persian Government
heforc an opinion can be offered on proposed agreement. Secondly, wc would ask for a
clearer indication as to what the basis will be before accepting the principle of a formal
agreement.”
744. On 8th June 1905, the Secretary of State telegraphed that Sir A. Har-
dingewas being authorized to conclude, in
Ibid, No. 31.
consultation with the Government of India,
an arrangement with the Persian Government on the lines of the procedure which
is observed at Constantinople in regard to parcel mails from the United Kingdom.
But in his despatch of 19th May 1905
Ibid, No. 34.
Sir A. Hardinge stated that Mons. Naus
desired to conclude a Postal Convention with the Government of India and would
like a representative of the Indian Post Office to be sent to negotiate or assist
in the negotiation of it.
745. The Government of India in their letter to Sir A. Hardinge, No. 29561-
E.A., dated 19th September 1905, laid
Ibid, No 38. stress upon the privileged position which
the British Post Offices in the Persian
Gulf occupy and the desirability of not abandoning it by recourse to a Postal
Convention. It would, in the circumstances, be more consistent with Indian
interests to limit the negotiation to the conclusion of an agreement with
the Persian Government in regard to parcel mails only.
This might be done without the assistance of an Indian official deputed to
Tehran. If, however, Sir A. Hardinge thought it necessary to conclude a general
postal arrangement, there would be some difficulty of sparing an Indian Postal
Officer with the required qualifications. His views were therefore asked on the
following alternative proposals :—
(a) Matters might stand over until after the International Postal Congress,
at which an informal discussion might be started and the views of
M. Naus ascertained, so as to enable the British Government to
find a basis for negotiation.
(b) If, however, it was necessary to enter into negotiations at once, would
it not suffice if an Indian Political Officer were deputed to Tehran,
after mastering postal details ? Considering the political interests
involved, a Political Officer would be preferable to a purely
Postal Officer.
746. On the 9th April 1905, Mons. Heynssens, the new Director-General
— SJ5
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from the Residency Surgeon and the Extra Assistant Resident, and from August