§ 7. Commander MARSDENasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the reasons for the arrest of Captain Macleod, the British harbour-master, by the Persian naval authorities?
§ Sir J. SIMONSo far as I can judge from the reports which I have at present received, this affair appears to have been the result of a misunderstanding. Captain Macleod in the course of his normal duties as an official of the Basra Port Directorate, an Iraqi administration, wished to go on board the Persian warship "Palang" off Abadan in the Shaft-el-Arab. A signal was made to him in dumb show from on board, which, it is said, was intended to indicate that he should not board the vessel. Captain Macleod, however, interpreted the signal to mean merely that the launch, in which he was, should be careful to keep clear of the "Palang's" propellors; he did so keep clear and proceeded to board her. The Persian naval authorities then placed him under restraint, apparently for boarding the vessel contrary to the instructions of its commander. The matter was taken up with the Persian Government both by His Majesty s Charge d'Affaires and by the Iraqi Minister at Tehran and Captain Macleod has now been released unconditionally.