the aerodromes and buildings there, upon which it was anticipated that some 80 per cent, of their contribution would be spent. Before, however, any action was taken in the matter, the British Government decided to abandon the proposal for the carriage of mails by the suggested service. It would, they decided, be preferable to deal with the scheme as a military proposition, pure and simple, leaving the question of the inauguration of a civil mail service for separate consideration. As it had, in the meantime, been decided independently, as part of the Royal Air Force organisation, to establish an aircraft depot at Karachi, the only extra expenditure involved in the proposal in which, on the analogy of the previous arrangements, India was interested, was that to be incurred at Bushire, Bunder Abbas, and Charbar, estimated, on the reduced scale possible owing to the less ambitious nature of the scheme, to cost about Rs. 1 lakh. The Government of India agreed, as with other similar charges in Persia, to bear half this expenditure. But the military service has never, in fact, been extended to India; it has been confined to the section Cairo-Baghdad, and consequently the anticipated expenditure upon the Persian Gulf aerodromes has not been incurred. The proposed civil mail service over the route was the subject of discussion between the British and Indian Governments in 1920, and the latter, although they were, in the conditions then obtaining, somewhat sceptical of its prospects of success, declared themselves ready, if the scheme matured, to adhere to the undertaking which they had given in the previous year, which involved their bearing the whole cost of the depot at Karachi and half that of the three principal aerodromes in the Persian Gulf . They also offered to guarantee a sum of Rs. 1 lakh per annum for three years towards the deficit in the working of the mail service. This offer was, however, never accepted, as, owing to unsettled conditions in Arabia and Mesopotamia, the whole proposal was dropped. It was, however, realised that, even in the absence of such a service, India had a genuine interest in the upkeep of a connecting link, for use when necessary, between the Middle East and Karachi, and in 1921 Government agreed and have continued to make a small contribution to the maintenance of the aerodromes at Bushire, Bunder Abbas, and Charbar, equivalent to half the actual expenditure upon them, limited to £850 for capital and £100 for annual recurring charges. This, together with a similar contribution from the British Government, has sufficed for the provision of absolutely essential facilities in the shape of godowns, &c., for the repairs periodically required, and for the pay of the necessary watch and ward establishment.” The attitude of Persia towards the use of the route by a regular Civil Air Service. Persia adhered to the International Convention for Air Navigation in 1920, the Persian Minister in Paris being instructed by his Government to notify the Government of the French Republic of the adherence, at the same time stating that the Persian Government “reserves the right to prepare as and when it becomes possible the means and the new organisations which the execution of the clauses of the said Convention necessitate.” Although the Mejlis has, however, never officially ratified this adherence, Persia has sent official representatives to many of the meetings of the International Commission for Air Navigation and has paid almost up-to-date her contributions towards the expenses of the Commission. Consequently, there would appear to be no doubt that Persia is in fact a party to the International Air Convention of 1919. Persia, however, has done little towards taking steps to give effect to her adherence to the Convention either in the direction of ground organisation or of air regulations. However, in connection with the fulfilment of her obligations she proceeded to give general notification of certain routes through her territory along which flying could take place. At our request the route along the Persian shore of the Gulf was included in the possible routes. Objection has never been taken by Persia to individual flights of civil aircraft over her territory, but she has taken exception to the operation by Imperial Airways Limited, of a regular service along the Persian Gulf, though at a later date she offered to allow the operation of a service along one of the other notified routes through Central Persia. During 1925 a fortnightly civil air service between Cairo and Karachi, to be operated by Imperial Airways, Limited, was projected. The use, for this service, of a route through Central Persia was considered, but owing to the difficulty and expense of supplying landing grounds with fuel and stores this route was not considered practicable. Negotiations were opened with the Persian Government, who agreed that representatives of the Air Ministry and of Imperial Airways, Limited, should fly
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