Page 155 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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Paid by the British Government—
One assistant surgeon at Bahrein.
„ „ Jask.°
At Koweit the assistant surgeon attached to
the British Agency was empowered by the
Sheikh in May 1007 to carry out the necessary
measures lor imposing quarantine on arrivals
from Bahrein. Bahrein was declared free of
plague in the following July.

III.—Question of British Consulur Representation
in El Hasu and Kutif.
(Communicated by the India Office.)
Government of The question of British Consular representation
India’a letter of
March 31,1904. in El Hasa and Katif was raised by the Govern­
ment of India in 1901. In a despatch dated the
31st March of that year, Lord Curzon’s Govern­
ment represented that the Indian merchants of
Buhreiu, trading with the maiuland, were
subjected to many vexatious restrictions by the
Turkish Customs farmer, and that official
regulations at the • Katif custom-house had been
so used as to destroy the British trade previously
established at that place. It was pointed out, in
illustration, that the Bania community of Katif
had, in 1000, been reduced from one of 70 or
80 persons to a single trader, and, further, that
those still desirous of carrying on trade at the
port had, in the same year, expressed their
•willingness to pay, in advance, the cost of main­
taining a British Agent, to protect their interests
on the spot. This request, it was added, was
repeated during Lord Curzon’s visit to the
Persian Gulf in 1903,| when the British Indian
merchants of Bahrein petitioned his Excellency
for the appointment, of a British Representative
to protect their interests at Katif. The Govern­
ment of India accordingly recommended (1) that
the Political Agent at Bahrein should be

* At Jask the quarantine duties are discharged by the
assistant surgeon attached to tho Eastern Telegraph Depart­
ment station. Do receives a special local allowance for the
purpose.
f It was again repeated to Major Cox in July 1904, the
merchants offering to pay n fee equivalent to 2,000 rupees
per annum towards'the cost of the appointment.