Page 345 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

3i
CHAPTER III.
Suggestions for improving British interests in Persia and the
Persian Gulf, 1885-1886.
128. In December 1885 Mr. George S. Mackenzie made certain suggestions
to the India OfTice for improving British
Secret E., Seprerober i8S6, Noi. 409 41a.
interests in Persia and the Persian Gulf.
The questions raised by him were the following:—
I.—Our interests, both political and commercial, demand an improvement in our repre­
sentations in Persia.
II. —The country was formerly divided into provinces, each ruled over by an uncle of
the Shah. Since His Majesty's sons have come to power the southern provinces, where
alone our interests lie, are ruled over by the Zil-cs-Sultan, living at Ispahan and appointing
Governors to the minor towns.
III. —The Governor of Bushire, where we have a Consul-General, “ with a large and
ostentatious staff, ” is a native merchant. At Ispahan, the centre of Government, we are
represented by an Armenian news-writer without weight either with Europeans or natives.
IV. —It is evident that a fresh disposition of our political establishments in the Gulf is
much needed. At present they are identical with those of the East India Company, only
more costly.
V. —Mr. Mackenzie is accordingly of opinion that our Consul-General should reside at
Ispahan. He would there be in direct contact with the Zil-< s-Sultan, who rules over
Luristan, Arabistan, Fars,and Kirman, i e., the whole of Southern Persia.
VI. —Wherever he resides our Consul-General should have non-trading Consuls or
Vice-Consuls under him, one residing in Kirman Shah, one at Shiraz, and another at Seyd
or Kirman.
VII. —Bushire, being only of importance as a shipping port, might well be represented
by a Vice-Consul or Native Agent under the Consul at Basra, who with Vice-Consuls at
Muscat and Bahrein could control the whole Arab Coast and Persian Gulf proper.
VIII —When the present establishments were opened there were neither steamers nor
telegraphs in the Gulf. Now that there are both, the necessity for expensive gun-boats no
longer exists.
IX. —The existing arrangements are in fact out of date and answer no purpose pro­
portionate to the cost of maintaining them.
X. —The new arrangements proposed would not perhaps effect a saving, but would
certainly be more efficient in regaining the security we have been of late so steadily losing
and would tend to the development of British trade and interests in Southern Persia.
129. The following were the observations made by Colonel Ross on Mr.
Mackenzie’s suggestions (letter dated 12th
Secret E., October 1886, No. 388.
September 1886):—
Before commenting on Mr. Mackenzie's special proposals, it is necessary to suggest
qualification of some of his statements’.
With reference to the position of the Zil-es-Sultan, it is not quite accurate to say that
the whole south of Persia is now governed by him. The towns and districts of Bunder
Abbas and Lingah are not under His Royal Highness at all, and Bunder Abbas is about
the most rising seaport in the Gulf and may before long become a point of great importance
in other ways. It is also to be borne in mind that the Zil-es-Sultan's residence at Ispahan
is not necessarily permanent. Indeed within the last year there was twice some chance of
hi<» going to other posts. By-the time Mr. Mackenzie's Consul-General reaches Ispahan
there may be no Prince Zil-es-Sultan there to influence.
It is not at present the case that the Governor of Bushire is a merchant. The present
Governor was in that position when the British occupied Bushire in 1856, and was carried
prisoner to Bombay. But this is an unimportant detail, and the merchant alluded to was
Governor for some time.
I do not think it is correct to say that the political establishments in the Persian
Gulf are identical with what they were originally in the days of the East India Company.
On the contrary the residents were originally commercial agents and the present political
establishments have grown with the requirements of the times. lam not aware, that to
everybody who has resided in the country it is evident that a fresh disposition is much
needed. I am at least an exception.
The scheme proposed by Mr. Mackenzie is, that the Persian Gulf Residency and
Muscat Political Agency should be abolished, and that a Consul-General should be placed