Skip to item: of 488
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.' [‎175r] (354/488)

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.

Apply page layout

B. 152.
British Museum Report 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. (Pol. No. 1718/05.)
There is no definite information in literature concerning the existence
of commercial sponges in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; and, although the Natural
History Museum possesses specimens of horny sponges from that region,
some of which were collected by the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. of this Report in the course
of a voyage from Basra to Karachi, there are among them no typical
commercial sponges. In spite of this negative evidence, which is of small
importance, it is very probable that commercial sponges do exist in great
abundance in certain localities in the Gulf, especially, for instance, on the
extensive pearl oyster beds.
The fact that there has hitherto been no trade in sponges from the Persian
Gulf is no proof against their existence. Previous to 1840 the sponge trade
of the West Indian region did not exist, and its origin at that date was due
to an accident; now thousands of men are employed in the industry.
The Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , or “the Green Sea,” is a shallow enclosed sea, the
depth of which rarely exceeds 55 fathoms. Numerous islands and shallows
occur in its south-western portion and near the entrance to the Straits of
‘Ormuz. The bottom is formed of mud, clay, sand, and rocks, the last two
■being favourable ground for sponge growth. Outside the Gulf and along
the coast of Muscat, the 10-fathom line extends out several miles from the
shore; and beyond this line the great depths are reached.
Conditions Favourable to the Growth of Commercial Sponges.
These sponges flourish in warm temperate and tropical waters in depths of
from 10 to 30 fathoms, though their bathymetrical range is from 2 to 70
fathoms. They grow best on rocks and reefs in currents of three or four
knots an hour. Too strong currents cause the growth to be irregular.
Unfavourable Conditions that might Prevent Successfid Sponge Pishing
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Mud is obnoxious to most sponges. There is no likelihood of commercial
sponges being abundant in the northern end of the Gulf, where the
diluvium brought by the Shat-el-Arab is being deposited.
The “ Shamal,” or Dust-wind, a north-west wind that fills the air for
days together with dust from the plains of Mesopotamia, would probably be
rather detrimental to certain forms of submarine life, for the impalpable
sand and dust fall on to the water, and are partly suspended and partly sink
to the bottom.
Lastly, occasionally the temperature may be too great for healthy sponge
life.
An air temperature of 179° Fahr. has been recorded on the Muscat
coast; this would give rise to a water temperature nearly as high {i.e.,
within 33 ° Fahr. of boiling water) in shallow water of only a few fathoms
depth.
S. 33.

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

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.' [‎175r] (354/488), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/456, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100038235551.0x00009b> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100038235551.0x00009b">File 2830/1914 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Sponge Fisheries. Sponge Exploration Syndicate.' [&lrm;175r] (354/488)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100038235551.0x00009b">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00015f/IOR_L_PS_10_456_0356.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00015f/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image