Portal logo
Login/Register
Bactrian Gold Treasure from Afghanistan, coming soon....
/gemstones/streeter-precious-stones/page_192 - 2
 

Sec. III, Ch. 3: Author's Connection with the Ruby Mines of Burma

Sec. III, Ch. 3: Author's Connection with the Ruby Mines of Burma Page of 366 Sec. III, Ch. 3: Author's Connection with the Ruby Mines of Burma Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
The Ruby Mines of Burma.                     175
frequent reference was made to our operations. After Mr. Durand, the Foreign Secretary of the India Government, had informed Captain Patton, on April 15, 1887, that the Governor in Council had conditionally accepted our tender, we were led to conclude, not unnaturally, that the negoti­ations were practically settled in our favour ; and most people regarded us as undoubtedly the accepted concession­aires. But it was not long before the jealousy of dis­appointed competitors began to find public expression. Certain members of the House of Commons were prompted by them to ask questions framed in such a way as to prejudice our interests. Nor were political influences want­ing in the opposition to our concession. Great injustice was also done to me, and still more to the Indian officials, by the unfounded criticisms and unfair suggestions of a portion of the London press. From time to time telegrams from Rangoon, extremely prejudicial to our interests, sent over by the Times correspondent, appeared in that paper ; but it was not without significance that the Rangoon correspondent of The Times was the legal adviser of Messrs. Gillanders, Arbuthnot and Company, one of our rivals for the concession. If any undue influence was at work during the negotiations, as insinuated by the Press, it was most assuredly not on our side, and the idea, as suggested in certain papers, of our bribing some of the Indian officials was absolutely unfounded. I can say that in not one instance did I give or offer a bribe during the whole time, extending nearly over three years, while the Government of India and Parliament at home, were slowly coming to a decision.
Considerable trouble was occasioned during the nego­tiations by the action of a certain Mr. Moritz Unger, who ultimately represented himself as acting for Messrs. Roth­schild, and whose supposed grievances as an applicant
Sec. III, Ch. 3: Author's Connection with the Ruby Mines of Burma Page of 366 Sec. III, Ch. 3: Author's Connection with the Ruby Mines of Burma
Table Of Contents bullet Annotate/ Highlight
Streeter: Precious Stones and Gems
Suggested Illustrations
Other Chapters you may find useful
Other Books on this topic
bullet Tag
This Page