'Reports on (1) the Conservancy of the Shatt-el-Arab river from the Port of Basra to the Persian Gulf and on (2) the Development of the Port of Basra. By Sir George Buchanan Kt., C.I.E' [‎6r] (15/62)

(3) Investigations should be made as to the best locality from whicli to
procure the necessary stone rubble for the wall.
(4) On the completion of the surveys and investigations, a complete estimate
to be prepared.
(5) Detailed specifications for the dredgers to be prepared, and tenders in
vited from builders. The placing of the order and the time within
.which the vessels can be completed will naturally depend upon the
war and the general situation in the United Kingdom in respect to
shipbuilding.
LIGHTING AND BUOYING.
(28) To improve the navigation of a river, buoys are placed in suitable posi- Usual procedure,
tions to mark shoal patches or turns in the direction of the course, and lights are
established to enable the river to be navigated at night-time. As already stated,.
under Turkish rule no encouragement was given to shipowners to send their ships to
the port; there were a few buoys laid down on the Outer Bar, but the charts contain
the statement: " All the buoys are of a rusty black colour and they are not to be
depended upon."
(29) Now that the survey of the river between Basra and the Ghilf is completed. Proposal to mark
it will be possible to put down such buoys in the river, and marks and leading lights and buoy the riVer *
on shore, as will make navigation—either by night or day—perfectly simple to any
shipmaster ; and a scheme on these lines is being drawn up.
(30) A certain amount of work has already been carried out on the Outer Bar, Action already
and as the plans were laid before, and sanctioned by, the Secretary of State for India, taken •
it seems desirable to describe in some detail the action taken :
So long ago as the 15th December 1915, an urgent requisition was sent to the
Chief of the General Staff, Delhi, on the representation of the Principal Marine
Transport Officer, Indian Expeditionary Force " D," for 3 lighted buoys of the
" Aga " type, to allow vessels to cross the Bar by night; and on the 1st of Jan
uary 1916, a telegram was received from the Chief of the General Staff stating that
he had accepted an offer of the Trinity House, London, to supply 3 buoys which
were available at Colombo and he would send lanterns, moorings and stores from
London about the middle of January.
It was also arranged that the buoys on arrival were to be taken over as part
of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Lights and Buoys Establishment, and that the Officer Com
manding the E. I. M. S. " Nearchus " was to lay them in the positions required
and subsequently to tend them as necessary.
(31) Meanwhile the Admiralty had also moved in the matter and "on the
28th December 1915, the Secretary to the Admiralty addressed the Under Secre
tary of State, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , forwarding certain suggestions put forward by the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company, respecting navigational lights to mark the channel
of the Shatt-el-Arab. The suggestions which had the approval of the Admiralty
were to the effect that buoys No. 9 on the Inner Bar, and No. 6 and No. 4 on the
Outer Bar, should be fitted with flashing and occulting lights ; and the Fao light
altered from a fixed light to either a flashing or occulting light.
(32) The Admiralty were informed that several changes had already been
made in the various lights ; that in order to enable transports to cross the Bar at
night, three additional gas buoys had been ordered as an urgent military necessity
and would be placed in position on the Bar very shortly, and that it would be
advisable to wait the result of these measures before taking further action.