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'PERSIAN GULF AND GULF OF OMAN. RESOURCES AND COAST DEFENCES. 1903.' [‎52r] (110/120)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (55 folios). It was created in Sep 1903. 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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/r 2
APPENDIX.
89
At dawn on the 1st April the expedition moved on to Ahwaz,
and a Persian force, consisting (by subsequent information) of
about 2,000 cavalry and 7,000 infantry, with five or six guns,
was observed in position along a low ridge on the right (W.) bank
of the river, opposite the town (see Plate 5). Arabs reported
that Ahvvaz itself was held by 500 infantry and 30 cavalry.
The flotilla steamed to within 3,000 yards of the main Persian
position, and captured a baggala containing a Persian 12-pr.
g un -
It being discovered that the Persians had only two small boats
for communication between Ahwaz and the main army, it was
decided to attack the town, and, if possible, to destroy the Persian
supply depot there.
The troops were accordingly landed between 10 and 11 a.m.
at the point shown on Plate 5, where the jungle concealed the
weakness of the force, and the advance on the town was made
in widely extended formation, so as to give an impression of
considerable strength. The left flank of the advancing troops
was protected by two gunboats, which moved up the river and
shelled the guns in the main Persian position, which, however,
made no reply.
The garrison of Ahwaz did not await the attack and retreated
up the river.
At noon, after an hour’s bombardment by the gunboats, the
main Persian army commenced to retreat.
At about 12.30 p.m. the sheikh surrendered the town, and
working parties commenced the destruction of stores in the
Persian magazines—the remainder of the troops being disposed
under cover in case of fire from the Persian guns across the
river. These still remained silent and presently retired.
Directly the Persian rearguard had left the main position
a detachment crossed the river in a gunboat, look possession of
the camp and destroyed considerable quantities of abandoned
stores. By 2 p.m. the Persian army had disappeared.
The expedition remained unmolested at Ahwaz until 3rd
April, and then returned to Mohammerah, which was reached
next day.
It subsequently transpired that the Persians took the expe
dition to be the advanced guard of Sir J. Outrarn’s army, and
as they had only seven mule-loads of musket ammunition left for
their whole army, they considered resistance hopeless.

About this item

Content

The file contains a printed report published by the 'Admiralty, Intelligence Department (No. 694). September 1903.', providing a compilation of available information of naval, military and political value about various locations in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the Gulf of Oman. Places described include Muscat, Mussandam Promontory, Khor Kawi [Khawr al Quway‘], Elphinstone Inlet [Khawr ash Shamm], Khasab, Pirate Coast [Arabian Coast], Bahrain, Kuwait, Fao [Al Fāw], Basra, Mohammerah [Khorramshahr], Bushire, Lingah and Bundar Abbas [Bandar Abbas].

Much of the information was extracted from the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Pilot, 1898. The report also includes an 'Official statement of British Policy with regard to (1) the proposed Baghdad Railway; and (2) Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. generally' given in the House of Lords, 5 May 1903; and advice on collecting information on defences such as defended areas, minefields, ordnance and under-water defences.

Two hand-stamps appear on the front cover and on folio 3, which read, 'War Office Library 27 Nov 1903', and, 'Mobilization and Intelligence Dept. 27 Nov 1903'.

The volume contains seven maps.

Extent and format
1 volume (55 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a frontispiece (f 3) followed by a table of contents (f 4), a list of maps and plates (f 6), a report divided into thirty-seven sections (ff 8-36), an appendix divided into seven sections (ff 36-52), an index to principal places (ff 52-53), and a map pocket holding two maps at the end (f 57).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 57; 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.

Pagination: an original printed pagination sequence is present in parallel throughout.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'PERSIAN GULF AND GULF OF OMAN. RESOURCES AND COAST DEFENCES. 1903.' [‎52r] (110/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/64, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036632886.0x00006f> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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