'Report and Proceedings of a Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Baghdad Railway, Southern Persia, and the Persian Gulf' [9v] (23/332)
The record is made up of 1 volume (162 folios). It was created in Feb 1909. 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. .
Transcription
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9
First Meeting, 2nd March, 1908.
Sir Richmond T. W. Ritchie, K.C.B., Political and Secret Secretary,
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.
,
attended as a witness and was examined.
Evidence of Sir R. T. W. Ritchie, K.C.B.
1. Mr. Morley : The first proposal that is before ns is a proposal in relation to
Muscat—to reorganize the Customs.
Sir R. Ritchie : Yes.
2. Sir E. Grey : What will be the method of carrying that out ? It will
be done by instruction to our Resident in Muscat, and finally arranged with the Sultan,
I take it?
Sir R. Ritchie : Yes.
3. Sir E. Grey : Which will be settled by the Indian Government?
Sir R. Ritchie : Yes.
Mr. Morley : I should like to say now on this point that, while it is quite true —
the existing relations between the Indian Government and Persia being what they are —
that that would be the natural reply, I have a long time had in my mind the subject
of the present relations between the Indian Government and the whole group of Persian
questions. I only say that as a sort of caveat now, because it is my strong view, if my
views prevail, that that and Persian questions generally will be much more effectivelv
dealt with by you than by us.
4. Sir E. Grey: Muscat is more exclusively Indian than Persian, and the
Indian Government has dealt more exclusively with Muscat than it has even with
Persian questions.
Sir R. Ritchie : That is so.
Sm E Grey: Of course it does not interfere with the independence of the
oultan of Muscat that we should get a British official, or that the Indian Government
should get a British official, into the Customs, any more than M. Nans being appointed
by the Belgian Government interfered with the independence of Persia.
5. Sir C. Hardin ge : If we might pass on to the Musandim Promontory, which
is part of Muscat, I have got a suggestion which I think might possibly assist
that very end. One of the proposals is that there should be a lighthouse built on one
of the islands. That was recommended by the Government of India in 1904, but it
has remained in abeyance since. I he question is: If that lighthouse were built, who
would build it? We might get the Sultan of Muscat, as the Sovereign of the
peninsula, to build the lighthouse. We could advance him the money to do it with,
and we could appoint a Receiver at Muscat who would receive, we will say, the light
house dues from every ship that was going into the Gulf or coming from the Gulf. ^ In
that way we might gradually get control of the Customs. I would venture to put that
forward as a suggestion.
Mr. Morley : On p. 137 Y ' the lighthouse is recommended from the mercantile or
marine point of view as well as from the political point of view, and to that is added a
suggestion of a wireless telegraph establishment. So, besides the nautical and
political reasons, there would be the Customs reason and the wireless telegraph
reason. 1
i^ir E. (<rey: Supposing we establish a lighthouse on this peninsula, you
cannot enforce the payment of dues upon foreign vessels.
Sir 0. Hardinge : From Muscat I think you could. You see, it would be on
Muscat territory.
gSiR E. Grey: You cannot enforce lighthouse dues on ships unless they go into
territorial waters, I imagine ; can you ?
* Appendix 2.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains the following minutes and proceedings:
- First Meeting, 2 March 1908. Evidence of Sir Richmond Thackeray Willoughby Ritchie.
- Second Meeting, 6 March 1908. Evidence of Sir J Mackay.
- Third Meeting, 11 March 1908. Evidence of Mr Frank Clark Strick and Mr E Lloyd.
- Fourth Meeting, 17 March 1908. Evidence of Sir Louis William Dane.
- Fifth Meeting, 19 March 1908. Evidence of Mr P Thomas and Mr G Lloyd.
- Sixth Meeting, 25 March 1908. Evidence of Mr Henry Finnis Blosse Lynch, and Major J A Douglas.
- Seventh Meeting, 30 March 1908. Evidence of Sir William Lee-Warner, and Colonel Charles Edward Yate.
- Digest of Evidence in Order of Witnesses.
- Digest of Evidence by Subjects.
Appendices:
- Appendix 1. Terms of Reference.
- Appendix 2. Memorandum respecting British Interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Foreign Office, Confidential (9161).
- Appendix 3. Supplementary Memorandum respecting British Interests in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Foreign Office, Confidential (9404).
- Appendix 4. Lights and Buoys required at Ports in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Statement by the Director of Naval Intelligence.
- Appendix 5. The Provision of Wireless Telegraph Stations in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Statement by the Director of Naval Intelligence.
- Appendix 6. The Cost of the Proposed Lighthouses at Ras Musandim.
- Appendix 7. Trade and Shipping in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Memorandum by the Director of Naval Intelligence.
- Appendix 8. Memorandum on the Position of British Trade in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Prepared in the Board of Trade.
- Appendix 9. Memorandum by Mr H F B Lynch, MP.
- Appendix 10. The Nushi-Seistan Railway Project. The Bunder-Dilam-Shiraz Railway Project. Extracts from a report by Lieutenant L E Hopkins.
- Appendix 11. Memorandum handed to M Isvolsky, 14 October 1908.
- Appendix 12. British and German Shipping in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Memorandum prepared in the Board of Trade.
Maps:
- Folio 76. Sketch to illustrate positions of Flagstaffs at Elphinstone Inlet and Sheep Island (Musandim Peninsula).
- Folio 87. Sketches of Approaches to Kuweit Harbour and Shatt Al Arab, compiled from various authorities.
- Folio 118v. Map of Mohammerah and district prepared in 1850. Shows the proposed Turkish, Persian and mediating Commissioners' lines.
- Folio 152. Sketch Maps to Shew Railways in Asia Minor.
- Folio 153. Map showing the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and adjacent countries.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (162 folios)
- Arrangement
A table of contents can be found at folio 4. An index to the minutes of evidence and appendices can be found at folios 154-162.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 164; 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: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence (xi, 297pp, 5 maps).
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Report and Proceedings of a Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Baghdad Railway, Southern Persia, and the Persian Gulf' [9v] (23/332), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/263, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100040910242.0x000018> [accessed 28 March 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/263
- Title
- 'Report and Proceedings of a Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Baghdad Railway, Southern Persia, and the Persian Gulf'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:75v, 77r:86v, 88r:117v, 119r:141v, 142v:144r, 145r:145v, 146v:151v, 154r:163v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence