Mr. Beale to Mr. Blaine.
Teheran , December 5, 1891 . (Received January 21.)
Sir: I have the honor to state that on account of the Persian law not allowing foreigners to hold real estate in Persia, and on account of the great difficulty of leasing property here, our missionaries were, up to the time of my coining here, obliged to resort to the unsatisfactory means of holding their property in the name of a Persian subject.
Such a trustee, a few weeks ago, claimed that the property held in his name was his own; that he was both the legal and equitable owner. He refused either to deed to any one else or to hand the property over to the missionaries. I forced him to relinquish all claim to it and to execute a deed to the mission. I have succeeded, by representing to the Government the good, charitable, hospital, and educational work done by the missionaries in obtaining for them the right to hold real estate in their own name.
I have also initiated the practice here of obtaining the seal of the grand vizier upon every deed of property purchased by Americans, which not only cures all defects in the title, but is also a guarantee of our right to hold the property.
I have, etc.,