File 1408/1904 Pt 1 ‘Persian Gulf: Henjam affairs. Status of Henjam (Persian sovereignty). Persian Customs post. Henjam Telegraph Station dispute’ [‎40r] (84/508)

Mo. 1462 XVI, dated “ Hermes” at Karachi, the 18th (received 23rd) May 1906
(Confidential).
POi ’ NaVa ' C0m ““ de ™-Ch;ef, East Indian Station,
The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
No. 1640 E^A.^of 2 t L(?Ap e rilT90 t 6 Of w I h- d i a tp ^ gr r f m ’ Poreigri department
Maskat for Bombay on J 2 3r«i ultimo iTat the 6 Com- Ihl
following remarks for the information of His Excellency the vLkw and
^kgram%?d n no r t reLch C0UnC1 d obser . Tin S that “ unfortunate that the
legram did not reach me a day or two earlier, when I could have studied the
question on the spot, as I only left Henjam on the 21st ultimo; hut as I had
Tnd wtth V Mr T rT 0 ? 7 ith C u Pt , ain EuStaCe ° £ the “ i ' ox ” on one 0 “ a sion,
f n i w £b Vu ^ b i°’ h6 te e §™P h cle , rk . a second, I have a fair knowledge
t, and I have also consulted Captain Eustace, who was at Henjam off and
on lor fully a month, and has a thorough knowledge of the island.
2. While I am always adverse to giving up any territory or concession
without a quid ^pro quo, my idea always having been to hold on to all we
have and to get hold of as much more as we can, still there are occasions when
it may be politically expedient to give up something if friction is decreased and
our own interests do not suffer.
3. The only plan I have of the concession was made by the Captain
of the <c Eox” and his officers, and in deference to a request of Major Cox’s,
was sent by me to him on the 19th April, so that I have not the advantage
of having it before me ; but I think it will be found that, if we reserve the
area contained by lines drawn from Table Hill N. 66° E. and N. 52° W., we
shall have all the best of the concession, and should thus be able to surrender a
good strip of land to the Persians—probably 500 or 600 acres (but it is
difficult to estimate the acreage), and give them suitable building land on the
east side of the island with an anchorage for their boats; but if this is done,
our concession should be absolutely our own, no one being allowed to reside
there or to enter into it without the permission of the British representative in
writing, and our telegraph staff should be free from all interference from the
Persian Customs and other officials.
The water-supply being one of the difficulties in Henjam, care should be
taken to retain all tanks and wells in our portion of the concession for the sole
use of our subjects living there; this should be clearly laid down.
4. With these safeguards, and if 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. concurs, I see
no objection to reducing the area of our concession, now that we have admitted
Persian sovereignty over the island. I may not be correct in my view as to
what portion of our concession could be given up, and would suggest that
Major Cox should define the limits, as I understand he will visit Henjam
shortly.
5. Erom a naval point of view, Table Hill must be retained as it
commands the entrance to the Gulf, and a wireless telegraph station could be
erected there, which would keep us in touch vs’ith Khor Kawi, which I consider
to be much the best strategical position in the Gulf (vide my letter No.
286-1462-11. H. of 26th April 1906, paragraph 2). My predecessor un
doubtedly held the same opinion.
6. Henjam is a good anchorage, and boats can always land there, on the
lee side of the spit, which runs out from Cable Spit on the north side of the
island; it is a capital place for the crews, as they can bathe and play football
and get healthy exercise.
It compares very favourable with Basidu, which, although a good
anchorage for small vessels, is difficult of approach for a ship drawing 20 feet
of water, and it commands no view of the entrance to the Gulf.
Should, however, Henjam be made a quarantine station, and it, therefore,
becomes necessary to abandon it, I think Basidu is the next best place; but in
this case a survey is most advisable, as the shoals are said to be extending.