'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' [‎7r] (17/62)

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'obtained for the work, tlie maintenance of all buoys, light and marks from Basra
to the Light Vessel be transferred to the Department of Port Administration and
Conservancy.
PILOTAGE.
(39) In the case of difficult rivers, competent persons specially licensed as
pilots are entrusted to navigate the vessels from the bar to port, when they are hand
ed over to the harbour masters.
Before the war there were a certain number of Arabs, who, by navigating
dhows and other native craft up and down the river, had obtained a superficial
knowledge of the best channel. When the expeditionary force came to Basra, the
first ships were piloted by their own captains or by Eoyal Navy or Royal Indian
Marine officers, but after a time one of the old Arab pilots was taken on and kept
continually employed. Other Arab pilots gradually found their way back and
a pilot service was instituted.
None of these pilots possesses a navigation certificate—their only qualification
being that they have been doing pilot work for a varying number of years. One
of them was for some time in command of a ship belonging to the Persian Navy ;
whilst another has been a pilot at Bandar Abbas and Bahrein. The pilots come
mostly from the Island of Kharab, north of Bushire, or are descendants of
the inhabitants there, and although perhaps capable men on dhows or
luggalows, it is, in my opinion, doubtful if they are fully qualified to take charge
of the permanent pilotage of a large port.
(40) The work of the pilots is not confined to crossing the Bar, they pilot vessels
all the way up-river to Basra where they hand over to European harbour masters
below the shipping ; but on the downward voyage, until recently, they took charge
of the vessels in the harbour and turned and piloted them through the lines of
shipping — a practice attended with great danger, as the usual custom, even where
there are European pilots, is for the harbour master to take the shipping out of the
docks or through the harbour proper handing over charge to the pilots below the
shipping. The reason for the unusual practice in Basra was the shortage of
European harbour masters, but additions have now been made to the establishment
and it is hoped that very shortly the Arab pilots will be relieved of all pilotage work
within the harbour.
(41) The pilots are paid fees according to the draught of the vessels they pilot Pay of pilots,
and on a schedule of rates drawn up shortly after the British occupation in Novem
ber 1914.
The scale appears to be unnecessarily liberal. I understand that before the war,
pilots who earned Rs. 150 a month considered themselves to be doing well; but
under the sanctioned schedule, the average earnings of pilots for the 6 months ending
31st March 1917 was Rs. 755. This is a considerable reduction On the earnings
for the first 6 months of the year, and the Port Officer is not in favour of
any immediate change in the schedule.
If compulsory pilotage continues to be necessary when the various improve
ments suggested in this note have been carried out, the establishment of a European
pilot service on a proper financial basis is indicated, the earnings of the pilots being
subject to a deduction of a certain percentage for the upkeep of the pilot vessel
and administration of the service. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company, Limited,
which does a great deal of lightering at the Bar, and the British India Steam Navi
gation Company, Limited, may prefer to make their own arrangements as to pilotage,
and to this I can see no objection provided that they made a contribution to the