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appears that M. Stas not only denied having used the language imputed to him,
but could bring witnesses to prove that the British telegraph clerk stationed at
Henjam had told him that Persian Customs officials had no business cm the
island. In conclusion Mr. Grant Duff hoped that he might consider the inci­
dent closed. The Government of India also consideied that it was unnecessary
to go further into the credibility of M. Stas.
(v) Persian Customs interference with Henjam mail bags, 1904-05.
261. In August 1904, a weekly boat service was established by the Belgian
Customs Officer at Bandar Abbas ostensibly
Sectet E., March 1905, Nos 33o-339*
to facilitate the delivery of telegrams to
the Bandar Abbas community.
The clerk in charge of the telegraph station, Henjam, telegraphed on the 17th
September 190410 Major Cox that the Director of Customs had informed the
Postmaster, Bandar Abbas, that he had observed bags of letters arriving for his
post office from Henjam, and that as this was contrary to the Postal Union
Convention, which disallows the carrying of letters between Persian ports
except by the Persian Post Office, he desired that the practice should be stopped.
The clerk added that the mail bags were now arriving open, both inwards
and outwards, were examined by the Persian authorities and were not allowed
to be sealed. A detailed report was also forwarded, describing the stopping of
the Henjam mail bag carrier by a Customs official on the 12th September and
the opening of the mail bag by the postmaster under compulsion by the Director
of Customs. On the 15th September, the Director of Customs ordered the
postmaster at Bandar Abbas to send the bag to him for inspection before
despatch to Henjam. The bag was inspected , and the Kossid informed that
all mails, to and from the island, were to be shown to the Director of Customs
for inspection. The matter was referred by Major Cox to the Minister.
Major Cox telegraphed on 14th January 1905 that the Customs authorities had
officially intimated the inauguration of a post office and customs post at
Henjam.
262. On the night of the 5th January 1905, the Heniam mail bag from
the telegraph station, when brought to Bandar Abbas by the Kossid was again
seized by the Customs authorities, who retained it until noon of the following
day and only returned it on the representation of the British Consulate after
the bag had been opened and the contents inspected. The matter was
reported to the Government of India and His Majesty’s Legation at
Tehran. The latter replied that orders were being issued for discontinuance
of the interference.
263. Sir A. Hardinge telegraphed on 14th February that the Persian Govern­
ment were inclined to conclude an agreement on the following lines:—
(1) that the post bags containing letters should be separated from
those containing parcels, which latter would be examined by
the Customs authorities in accordance with article 27 of the
Regl'cment Legal;
(2) that a special arrangement should be made to regulate the exchange
of postal correspondence between India and Persia.
264. The Persian Government pointed out that Persia had now a parcel
postal service of her own, and that it could never have been intended that parcels
containing dutiable articles should enter the country through our post offices
without payment of duty*.

CHAPTER. VIII.
Our position at Bassidore.
(i) Alleged intention of the Russians to take possession of Kishm: our position at
Bassidore.
265. On 15th March 1899 the Secretary
Secret E.( May 1899, N01.160-65.
of State telegraphed to the Viceroy :—
* The (urthcr history of the postal arrangements on the Persian Coast ports is dealt with in the Persian Coast
and Islands Pr/eis, /OJ^/905.
t ptevitms history see Persian Gulf Prlcis, 180W853 paras. 236-339, and Persian Coast and Islands
Priest, 1854-1905, Chapter // (XIV and XX),