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'Air Communication in the Persian Gulf. (Communicated by the Air Ministry)' [‎77v] (2/6)

The record is made up of 1 file (3 folios). It was created in Sep 1928. It was written in English. 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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“ Before, however, any action was taken in the matter, the British Government
decided to abandon the proposal for the carriage of mails by the suggested
service. It would, they decided, be preferable to deal with the scheme as a
military proposition, pure and simple, leaving the question of the inauguration
of a civil mail service for separate consideration. As it had, in the meantime,
been decided independently, as part of the Royal Air Force organisation, to
establish an aircraft depot at Karachi, the only extra expenditure involved in the
proposal in which, on the analogy of the previous arrangements, India was
interested, was that to be incurred at Bushire, Bunder Abbas, and Charbar,
estimated, on the reduced scale possible owing to the less ambitious nature of
the scheme, to cost about Rs. 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The Government of India agreed, as
with other similar charges in Persia, to bear half this expenditure. But the
military service has never, in fact, been extended to India ; it has been confined
to the section Cairo-Baghdad, and consequently the anticipated expenditure upon
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. aerodromes has not been incurred.
“The proposed civil mail service over the route was the subject of discussion
between the British and Indian Governments in 1920, and the latter, although
they were, in the conditions then obtaining, somewhat sceptical of its prospects of
success, declared themselves ready, if the scheme matured, to adhere to the
undertaking which they had given in the previous year, which involved their
bearing the whole cost of the depot at Karachi and half that of the three
principal aerodromes in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . They also offered to guarantee a sum
of Rs. 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees per annum for three years towards the deficit in the working of the
mail service. This offer was, however, never accepted, as, owing to unsettled
conditions in Arabia and Mesopotamia, the whole proposal was dropped. It was,
however, realised that, even in the absence of such a service, India had a genuine
interest in the upkeep of a connecting link, for use when necessary, between the
Middle East and Karachi, and in 1921 Government agreed and have continued
to make a small contribution to the maintenance of the aerodromes at Bushire,
Bunder Abbas, and Charbar, equivalent to half the actual expenditure upon
them, limited to £850 for capital and .£100 for annual recurring charges. This,
together with a similar contribution from the British Government, has sufficed
for the provision of absolutely essential facilities in the shape of go-downs, &c.,
for the repairs periodically required, and for the pay of the necessary watch and
ward establishment.”
The attitude of Persia towards the use of the route by a regular Civil Air Service.
Persia adhered to the International Convention for Air Navigation in 1920,
the Persian Minister in Paris being instructed by his Government to notify the
Government of the French Republic of the adherence, at the same time stating that
the Persian Government “reserves the right to prepare as and when it becomes
possible the means and the new organisations which the execution of the clauses of
the said Convention necessitate.”
Although the Mejlis has, however, never officially ratified this adherence, Persia
has sent official representatives to many of the meetings of the International
Commission for Air Navigation and has paid almost up-to-date her contributions
towards the expenses of the Commission.' Consequently, there would appear to be no
doubt that Persia is in fact a party to the International Air Convention of 1919.
Persia, however, has done little towards taking steps to give effect to her
adherence to the Convention either in the direction of ground organisation or of
air regulations. However, in connection with the fulfilment of her obligations she
proceeded to give general notification of certain routes through her territory along
which flying could take place. At our request the route along the Persian shore of
the Gulf was included in the possible routes.
Objection has never been taken by Persia to individual flights of civil aircraft
over her territory, but she has taken exception to the operation by Imperial Airways,
Limited, of a regular service along the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , though at a later date she
offered to allow the operation of a service along one of the other notified routes
through Central Persia.
During 1925 a fortnightly civil air service between Cairo and Karachi, to be
operated by Imperial Airways, Limited, was projected. The use. for this service, of a
route through Central Persia was considered, but owing to the difficulty and expense
of supplying landing grounds with fuel and stores this route was not considered

About this item

Content

Memorandum communicated by the Air Ministry on 23 August 1928 concerning air communication in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .

Covering:

  • an introduction to the development of the Persian and Arabian air routes;
  • flights on the air route along the Persian shore from 1918 onwards;
  • the association of the Government of India with the route - consisting of extracts from a memorandum by the Indian Air Board (an Advisory Committee to the Government of India) in 1926 entitled 'The Past History and Future Development of Civil Aviation in India';
  • the attitude of Persia towards the use of the route by a regular Civil Air Service operated by Imperial Airways Limited;
  • the air route along the Arabian shore described by section, and detailing the attitude of the shaikhs.
Extent and format
1 file (3 folios)
Arrangement

This file consists of a single memorandum.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 77, and terminates at f 79, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, 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. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'Air Communication in the Persian Gulf. (Communicated by the Air Ministry)' [‎77v] (2/6), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B414, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100029571336.0x000003> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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