Page 98 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

Captain Shakcspcar first wrote to the Political Resident at
Bushire (Lieut.-Col. P. Z. Cox, C.S.I., C.I.E.) on May 30th, 1910, and,
in asking that the opening of a Post Office be reconsidered, gave a
number of very interesting facts about the postal business done by the
Political Agency at that time. Me recorded that the Postal Peon was
paid Rs20 (Cl 10s) per month from the Agency Budget; and that his
Head Clerk carried out all the postal duties, including the taking of
mails to and from steamers in the Agency Boat.
Postal business included per annum
(a) Money Orders despatched from Kuwait via
the Bushire Post Office Rs. 4,350
(b) Value of stamps sold in 1909 Rs. 131
(c) Number of parcels received 470
(d) Number of registered articles received 740
(c) Number of letters despatched 7,310
The Money Order facility was confined to the staff of the Agency;
the public was not able to use this service, nor could they send parcels
or registered items. It was noted that the value of stamps sold repre­
sented little more than the Agency consumption, as the public mainly
obtained their stamps from “friends in Bushire or India”. In like
manner the number of letters despatched did not represent the whole
volume of outgoing correspondence “ ... for a considerable number of
letters arc carried personally by passengers for posting on board to
obtain the benefit of a lower rate, and also frequently for want of
stamps”. The number of incoming letters was assessed at double the
number of outgoing; not a large number for a population estimated to
be between 30,000 and 50,000.
Referring to the objections previously raised, Shakespear pointed
out that it was well known in Basra that postal arrangements in Kuwait
were in the hands of the Political Agency and that it was, no doubt,
presumed there that a regular Post Office already existed.
The Political Resident gave his full support to Shakespear’s
recommendations and even went so far as to suggest to the Government
of India that, in order to achieve the opening of the Post Office without
upsetting the Turks, it might be possible for the Postal authorities
“... by withholding some technical but unimportant attribute essential
to a regular office under international rules, to delay international

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