"الخليج الفارسي وخليج عُمان. الموارد والدفاعات الساحلية. ١٩٠٣." [ظ‎‎٢‎٤] (١٢٠/٥٥)

44 PERSIAN GULF.—RESOURCES AND DEFENCES.
S applies.
Old fort.
Passage
distances.
Harbour.
Landing presents no difficulties at high water; at low water
the best landing place is N. of the E. angle of the fort at the
village.
Water .—Excellent water is easily procurable from wells close
to the beach near the village.
Food .—A few cattle and some vegetables, &c., may be
obtained.
There are some antelope among the hills.
There is no information as to the old fort at the N.E. point of
the island.
Note .—Kharag Island was occupied by British troops on
4th December 1856, preliminary to the attack on Bushire (which
surrendered on the l()th December).
According to a special report made in 1900, the island
possesses no site suitable for a naval or coaling station, and
would be difficult to defend from sea-attack.
BUSHIRE (ABU SHAHR or ABU SHEHR).
{Sec Admiralty Charts 27 and 2,837n, with inset).
Bushire is the principal sea-port of Persia and occupies the
low N. end of an extensive peninsula. The town extends for
half-a-mile from the point.
The streets are narrow and dirty, and the houses poorly built
of inferior stone.
In 1898 the population was stated to be about 15,000 (chiefly
Arabs and Persians).
In 1901 the value of the exports was 573,6497., of the imports
1,631,478/.
112 steamers and 515 sailing vessels entered the port.*
There is a Persian governor under the Prince of Ears.
Bushire is the headquarters of the British Political Resident
in the Persian Gulf.
The approximate distance of Bushire from—
Bahrein Harbour
- is
163
Bassidu - j.
338
Bombay
1,445
Pao -
* 55
134
Khor Abdalla (head of)
^ 59
150
Khor-ash-Shem
380
Kishm Town
380
Koweit
55
148
I he harbour consists of a belt of deep water lying betw'een the
inner and outer banks, to the W. and N.W. of the town.
0 Figures for 1902 Exports, 348,202/. ; imports, 1,179,996/. ; decrease
due to trade depression. 138 steamers (155,392 tons) and 605 sailing
vessels (19,400 tons) entered the port.