Page 105 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

83 Part IV—Chap. XXIV.
morely on tho basis of that arrangement, to suggest a modification of tho condition of the
Residency relative to the two Presidencies and of tho channel of th« correspondence of the
Resident on subjects of a political nnturo and an alteration of the scalo of his allowances fixed
by tho Resolutions of your Hoard above rolcrrcd to.
8. Although tho management of our political concorns in Persia has been transferred
to the Crown, there yet remains somo objects and duties of a political nature which appear
to us to requiro tho prcsenco of a British Resident at Bushire. His Agency must occasionally
bo of material utility to His Majesty's Ambassador at the Court of Teh ran, especially in provid­
ing funds by negotiating tho Ambassador's Bills nud with refercnco to immediate interests of
tho Company's Government. Wo consider it of importance to maintain that degree of politi­
cal representation which exists on tho part of Government in tho office of Resident at Bushire
primarily becauso (contrary to the express intention aud orders of His Majesty's Government)
tho removal of tbo Resident would,h«vo a tendency to countenance the impression of a distinc­
tion of intorcst between tho Crown and the Company which a concurrence of circumstances
had unfortunutely produced in Persia, whilst tho opposite belief of their real union and identity
will be supported by tho concert aud co-operation with His Majesty's Ambassador which it is
tho duty of the Resident to maintain in all transactions in which the former may huve occasion
to command the Agency of the latter.
4. His presence is further useful in conveying intelligence of affairs in Persia as far as
they may properly fall within the limits of his observation, and especially in attending to
the public interests as connected with the conduct and proceedings of tho piratical and other
States bordering on tho Gulph.
5. Your Hon’blo Board has also very justly suggested tho additional inducement to
maintain tho Residency at Bushire, arising from tho propriety of preserving the privilege,
hoisting the British flag as well ns for tho eventual purpose of making such occasional
purchases of the products of Persia as may horeufter happen to be required under the rules that
may be prescribed for the guidance of the Rosident. To which may be added tho facilities
and advantages which may be afforded by his presence to the iutercourso of the trade of the
Gulph as thrown open by your Resolution of the 2nd July.
6. Wq are however of opinion that the political duties which under present circumstances
the Resident may have occasion to discharge are not of a nature to require that he should
continue with respect to concerns of that description under the immediate orders of the
Supremo Government or maintain a direct correspondence with tho Presidency, and we there­
fore propose that the Residency of Bushire should revert to its original relation towards the
Government of Bombay by being placed on tho same footing with respect to that Government
as the Residency of Bagdad, your Hon'blc Board conveying such of the communication which
you may receive from the Resident as you may deem interesting and referring to us such points
as may appear to you to require our deliberation and decision, and we shall accordingly direct
the necessary information regarding this arrangement to be conveyed to the Resident at
Bushire, and we request that you will be pleased to transmit to him corresponding instructions
on your part.
7. With reference to the scale of the Resident's allowances (the second point to which
we have proposed to advert) wo transmit enclosed a copy of a letter from Lieutenant Bruce
to our Chief Secretary under date the 17th December, soliciting permission to charge in addition
to his salary the monthly sum of Rl,200 granted to Mr. N. H. Smith for his establishment
aud in the anticipation of our concurrence stating his intention of ohanging that amount in
his accounts with the Supreme Government for the date on which' Mr. Smith ceased to draw it.
8. We cannot entirely approve of Mr. Bruce's having thus anticipated a decision upon
his application, but being of opinion that the Resident at Bushire possess a just claim to an
allowance which may bo adequate to the permanent and contingent expenses incident to the
nature and duties of his situation, we shall take advantage of the present change of arrange­
ment with regnrd to that Residency this subject to your attention.
9. The political grounds on wliich the expediency of continuing the Residency is founded
equally suggest tho propriety enabling the Resident to maintain the respectability of his situa­
tion in the eyes of the people of Persia which together with the duties now t-» be assigned to
him appoars to us to require a scale of expense for which the limited income of the Commer­
cial Resident amounting to not more than 600 rupees per mensem is not in our judgment
adequate to provide, and we are further of opinion that consistently with the general principle
of the Company's service and with the reasonable expectations of those in this distant country
hope to acquire in that service the mcan6 of a future independency and especially in a situation
subject to 60 many privation, discomforts and disadvantages as that of Bushire, the Resident
should have tho means of accumulating a j>ortion of his allowances. We have the less hesita­
tion in proposing this improvement in the situation of the Resident because the utmost extent
of allowances which it may be judged proper to grant to him will still have a considerable
saving to the public in consequence of the cessation of the allowances enjoyed by Mr. Smith.
We do not however consider ourselves competent to judge of the precise amount which should
be granted to tho Residont in addition to the salary for the expenses of a proper establish­
ment and other charges incident to this situation, and we therefore beg leave to refer this
point to tho suggestion of your superior knowledge of these local circumstances on which
it may bo considered to depend, referring if you should deem it necessary the amount which
you propose on the grounds above staled to your confirmation.
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