Page 459 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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depended on the savins: of salary to bo offcoted at Qwadur. Accordingly on
January 19th, 188*1, the Governor-General’s Agent, Baluchistan, was asked to
submit his views as to tho best arrangement for the future payment of the
telegraph subsidy to tho Chiefs iulSouthprn Baluchistan. He was also, by
endorsement on January 30th, 1881, asked to report wl :ier tho services of
the Native Assistant and tho two sowars at Gwadur should be dispensed with.
Ho roported that he had not yot considered the whole question, but would
hereafter submit his recommendations. Meanwhile from March 1st, 1881, the
Deputy Director of Persian Gulf Telegraphs ceased to exorcise political charge
at Gwadur.
320. Hndor the arrangements thus sanctioned, the Government of India
naturally understood that Dr. Duke, the newly appointed Khelat Agent, had
assumed charge of Gwadur from Mr. Flinch. But ciroumstances occurred
which led the Government to doubt whether this wa9 really the case.
321. Other difficulties also occurred. Colonel Boss reported trouble at
Charbar, and we wanted to know what political arrangements had really been
made, and whether the Native Assistant was still at Gwadur. We had never
received a reply to our office oudorsemont of 30th January 1881. On 2l9t
April last we wrote our No. 803, asking on what date Dr. Duke assumed
charge of Mekran from tho Deputy Direotor of the Persian Gulf Telegraphs.
There was no evasion possible of this reference, and on 12th May, 1881, the
Governor-Generars Agent replied that Dr. Duke had never been put in charge
at all, because Sir Robert wished to recommend a different arrangement. He
meant “ in a few days to recommend ”• that the Political Ageat at Jaoobabad
should have the charge.
322. Ou 29th May wo were told that Sir Robert had himself relieved
Mr. Flinch ; deputing Colonel Reynolds to carry on the work until he could
make definite proposals to Government for placing the “ control of Mekran
affairs in the hands of a Political Agent with head-quarters at Karachi. ” The
Government of India called for a full report, but meantime, as the new
arrangements had not been fully considered and wore moreover absolutely
unauthorised, directed the revival of the old arrangement by which Mr. Flinch
exercised Political Powers on tho Mekran coast, until a decision on Sir Robert’s
scheme should be come to. This temporary revival of the previous scheme was
also iuducod by Colonel Ross’ opinion of its general suitability, and by his
recommendation that if no special Political Officer was to bo stationed on the
Mekran Coast, Dr. Ffinch should be continued in some political capacity and
should collect intelligence as ex •officio Assistant to the Resident in the Persian
Gulf and Assistant to the new Agent at Khelat.
323. Meantime Government received Sir Robert’s two reports $f 5th and
7th Juno explaining his scheme for the.management of Gwadur together with
his proposals, of which the scheme formed apart, for the redistribution of the
duties of the Political Ageuts at Jacobabad aud Khelat. As regards the redistri­ |
bution he wrote—
4. I have always felt it to bo a weak position when I have had to propose that our
relations with Southern Baluchistan should be controlled by tho Political Agent at Khelat. It
would be objectionable, I think, that he should be frcqueutly and f«»r long together absent
from the Court of Hi6 Highness the Khan of Khelat. For him to manago effectively our re a-
tions with Panjgur, Kej, Aland, Gwadur and Lus-Bcyla, would be an impossibility, unless he
were to 6pend the greater part of the year in camp. This point has been brought vividly before
me during my late mission. Ou the other hand I havo found that much of the couutry
which I have named is comparatively accessible from Karachi.
“ My proposals are then as follows:—
" The Political Agent at Khelat should deal with all matters connected with Kalat Proper,
including Katchi and the Khan’s lands watered by the Sind Canals, and Punjgur.
The Political Agent at Jacobabad should havo his head-quarters at Karachi all t e
year round. Me would manage matters conuected with Lus-Beyla (inc*u mg
the frontier levies), the Mekran Coast, including Urmara, Sonmiani and Gwadur,
the Rinds of Mond and Tump and Keg. In the present state of feeling be ween
Azad Khan of Khuran and 11 is Highness the Khan of kalat, Iwould not
recommend that our relations with the Sardar should bo conducted by the o i ica
Oiliccr at His Highness the Khan’s Court. I should advise that they should he,
for tho present at all events, under immediate control of the Agent to
Governor -General.”