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File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.' [109r] (222/488)
The record is made up of 1 volume (240 folios). It was created in 18 May 1905-11 Dec 1916. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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No. 126 of 1906.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT
SECRET.
External.
To
The Right Hon’ble JOHN MORLEY, O.M.,
Majesty's Secretary of State for India.
Simla, the 23rd August 1906.
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Sir,
■\Vitli reference to the correspondence ending with your telegram
dated the 28th February 1906, we have the honour to forward a copy of
letter No. 1367 A., dated the 25th June 1906, from 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.
, regarding the pearl fisheries on the Persian shore, together
with an extract from the diary of 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.
,
which shows that the Sponge Exploration Syndicate was at the end of June
about to begin work at Hormuz.
2. In our Secret despatch No. 63 (External), dated the 10th March 1904,
we acquainted His Majesty’s Government with our views concerning the
pearling grounds on the Arabian side of the Gulf; and in your predecessor’s
Secret despatch No. 8 , dated 31st March 1905, we were informed of the
opinion of the Law officers of the Crown on the subject. The movements of
M. Hatinoglou and his Syndicate have now rendered it necessary to consider
the question of the Persian shore also.
3 . The pearl banks on the Persian shore extend from Eharak to Lingah,
and, with one or two exceptions, are generally regarded as open to all the
maritime tribes of the Gulf. As was explained by Lieutenant-Colonel Meade
Vide Secret despatch from Government of India, his lettei No. 74, dated 5th March
No. 4a (External), dated the 29ti» March 1900 . 1900, they are visited by boats from
the Arabian as well as the Persian shores, the inhabitants of which are allowed
to fish on payment of fees to the local Persian officials or to the territorial
magnates of the districts to which they belong. The Persian banks, though
not as lucrative as the Arabian, form a valuable asset to their owners
and have been several times sought after by foreign capitalists. In 1882,
M ukhbir-ed-Dowleh (the Shah’s Minister of Telegraphs) in partnership
with the firm of Messrs. Gray, Paul & Co., obtained a concession in Persian
territorial waters and searched some of the banks near Lingah and the island of
Kharak, but the venture proved a failure. In 1890, attempts appear to have
been made by the Mr. Malcolm referred to in the Resident s letter, and by
several others, to secure exclusive rights of fishing from the Persian Government,
but without success. In 1894, Mr. Malcolm applied for British support towards
• Ml. Office to Foreign office, dated the «h a renewal ot negotiations, but was informed*
July 1894 . that His Majesty’s Government were
unable to comply with his request. In 1898, MM. Sunye and Hagens secured
About this item
- Content
The volume concerns the attempts of a British company called the Sponge Exploration Syndicate to obtain concessions for the fishing and exploitation of sponges in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . However, the papers indicate that it was felt by British officials that the real object of the company was to exploit the Gulf's pearl banks, which entailed the risk of infringing Britain's treaty obligations with the Arab states.
The principal correspondents are the Foreign Office; Major Percy Zachariah Cox, acting as Consul-General for Fars, Khuzistan etc., and 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. ; officials of the 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. and the Government of India; the Viceroy of India (the Earl of Minto); and the Sponge Exploration Syndicate Limited.
The papers include: letters of application for concession rights from the company; the granting of a concession to the company by the Government of Persia; the granting of a concession to the company by the Sultan of Muscat; a report by the British Museum, on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. as a possible area for successful sponge fisheries (folios 175-176); the involvement of the company with the rulers of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ; and the rights of British-protected Arabs. The volume also contains an Admiralty chart of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on folio 50.
The French language content of the volume consists of an agreement on folios 129-131.
The date range gives the covering dates of the main items of correspondence. This is mainly dated 1905-09, with one item dated 1916. The correspondence also includes enclosures dated 1892 (folios 214-215).
Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, year the subject file was opened, subject heading, and list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence (folio 1).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (240 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 2830 ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. : Sponge and Pearl Fisheries) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/456-457. The volumes are divided into two parts with each part comprising one volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 242; 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.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/456
- Title
- File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:9v, 11r:11v, 13r:18v, 21r:33v, 36r:49v, 51r:70v, 73r:83v, 85r:89v, 90v:98v, 99v:128v, 132r:157v, 165r:199v, 203r:209v, 211r:220v, 223r:233v, 236r:238v, 241r:241v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence