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File 1408/1904 Pt 2 ‘Persian Gulf: telegraphs. Henjam-Bunder Abbas-cable’ [‎159v] (323/478)

The record is made up of 1 volume (235 folios). It was created in 1904-1909. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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2
the Bunder Abbas Office. The Besident asked for my views on ihe matter. ~
I replied that there was no objection to the Persian Telegraph Official accom
panying the construction party on the Island of Kishm and at Bunder Abbas,
provided his arrival at Henjam would not delay work. That the cable connec
tions would be completed by the 16 th or 17th October and ship then leave for
Karachi.
3 . The Sheikh of Kishm through his Secretary had the boats and coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
ready at Henjam on the ship’s arrival as requested by the Assistant Superin
tendent, Henjam Station, but refused to allow stores or cable end to be landed
at Deristan without direct orders from the Persian Governor of the Gulf Ports.
The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. was informed of this by telegram and requested to have
telegraphic orders sent to the Sheikh and also to the Governor of Bunder Abbas.
These orders were received on the 14 th October, but as the ship was engaged
on survey of the passage across from Henjam to Deristan and fixing sites for
landing cable ends at both places, no actual delay took place. Previous to the
receipt of these orders, I had, however, arranged with the Sheikh’s Secretary to
land stores and cable end at Deristan and then wait for orders. The cable
connection between Henjam and Deristan was laid by 6 p.m. of the 14 th
October.
4 As hire of boats and wages of coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. were excessive and exceeding the
estimate (none being procurable at Henjam) in consultation with the Khan
Sahib decided to land portion of the line material at Shuza, a place between
Henjam and Kishm and 11 miles distant from Deristan, so as to reduce
expenditure in distribution. On the 15 th October material for 15 miles of line
was landed at Shuza and ship proceeded to Kishm. At 7 a.m. on the 16 th
October arrived at Kishm. The Sheikh of that place called on board;
presented him with a gold watch and chain, provided by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ,
and then returned his call. The Sheikh was very friendly and gave all
assistance in landing stores and provided the requisite number of coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. at
Kishm. He promised to send one of his headmen with the Khan Sahib to
provide transport and labour during construction work on the Island. At
3-40 p.m. Kishm shore end was laid and ship proceeded to Bunder Abbas
where sbe anchored for the night.
5 . Jn the 17 th October landed at Bunder Abbas and fixed site of the
Cable House which is to be one mile distant from the centre of the town to
the eastward. This site was fixed so as to be clear of the anchorage which
extends for of a mile on either side of the centre of the town. The Governor :
of the place refused to give assistance or permission to land the cable end.
1 t ^ le distance of Lieutenant Shakespear, His Majesty’s Consul, this
iffieulty was, however, got over after some time and permission obtained.
ihe Go Z ernor con ^ eD fi e( i that the telegram he received from the Governor
o t le Gulf Ports was insufficient authority and that he required written
mstruct.ous. It was explained to him the delay to the ship would mean
rT Af 0 ^ da 7» he would no doubt be forced to pay this. It seems
that the Belgian Customs authorities urged him to prevent the cable being
w 1 ? A ;^ ^ ble end , was . taken ashore and Kishm Bunder Abbas Sectior
completed at 5-50 p.m. and ship steamed for Henjam.
11-30 p.m. arrived Henjam, landed the Khan Sahib and ship proceedec
to carry out the work required by the Foreign Department.
The First Assistant to the Resident at Bushire wired to me on the ISt!
October saying that as the local authorities at Bushire had said nothing about
a . Tele f g J?P h , °^ cial t0 be P^sent at erection of landline, and aj
proceed p/ wUh d ° ^’^® sted that erection of landline should be
pio,ceded with. The Khan Sahib has been instructed accordingly, and!
hope that work will be started during the next week. ^ ^
/
-
/
2584 F. D.
Exd—H. K.

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Content

The volume comprises notes, memoranda, copies of correspondence and other papers, relating to an agreement reached between the British and Persian Governments for the construction of a telegraph cable line between the telegraph station at Henjam [Jazīreh-ye Hengām] and Bunder Abbas [Bandar-e ʻAbbās], and a subsequent dispute between the British and Persian Governments over the location of the telegraph office in Bunder Abbas. The volume’s principal correspondents are: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Major Percy Zachariah Cox); the British Ambassador (or Chargé d’Affaires) at Tehran (Sir Arthur Henry Hardinge; Sir Evelyn Mountstuart Grant Duff); the Assistant Resident and British Consul at Bandar-e ʻAbbās (Lieutenant William Henry Irvine Shakespear).

The volume’s papers include:

  • proposals, set out by British officials, for a telegraph cable running between Henjam and Bunder Abbas, chiefly for the benefit of the Indian merchant community at the latter place;
  • papers detailing negotiations between British and Persian officials through 1905 concerning the construction of the telegraph cable from Henjam to Bunder Abbas, and the construction and operation of a telegraph office at Bundar Abbas. Much of the discussion centres on the running and costs of the telegraph office at Bundar Abbas, in response to the Persian Government’s insistence that they run the office, and the British Government’s insistence that only Persians be employed in the office (in order to prevent the appointment of Russian telegraphists). A printed copy of the agreement for the construction of the telegraph line from Henjam to Bunder Abbas, dated 13 May 1905, is included in the volume (f 149);
  • copies of telegrams and other papers dated 1906, documenting the construction of telegraph facilities at Bunder Abbas, including British intentions to run the cable via their consular buildings, Persian objection to the proposals, and the protracted dispute over the location of the telegraph office that ensued;
  • correspondence dated 1909, including a letter from Sir George Head Barclay at the British Embassy in Tehran, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey, dated 8 March 1909, confirming that the dispute between the British and Persian authorities over the location of a telegraph office at Bunder Abbas has been resolved (ff 20-21).
Extent and format
1 volume (235 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 237; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 130-143; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 1408/1904 Pt 2 ‘Persian Gulf: telegraphs. Henjam-Bunder Abbas-cable’ [‎159v] (323/478), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/39, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026544901.0x00007c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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