Skip to item: of 258
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎35r] (74/258)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 volume (129 folios). It was created in 1912-1916. 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

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

CONFIDENTIAL
m
No. 983, dated Bushire, the 5th (received 13th) April 1914.
From—MAJOR S. G. Knox, C.I.E., Officiating 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,
To—The Foreign Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and
Political Department, Simla.
In continuation of Sir Percy Cox’s letter No. 1267, dated 20th April 1913.
and in the hope that it may prove of interest, I have the honour to forward
herewith copy of a letter No. 180, dated 26th March 1914 from the Assistant
Resident and His Majesty’s Consul Bandar Abbas, in which is enclosed a note
on the question of a water-supply for Bandar Abbas.
No. 18-C, dated 26th March 1914-
F rom Captain H. V BlSCOE, Assistant Resident and His Majesty’s Consul,
Bandar Abbas,
To— Major S. G. Knox, C.I.E., Officiating 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, Bushire.
With reference to Sir Percy Cox’s letter No. 2473, dated the 9th August
lQ i^ asking me to make some study of the question of water-supply for Bandar
Abbas in the event of this port becoming at some time the terminus or first sea
port of the Trans-Persian Railway, I have the honour to state that I have
endeavoured during the past winter to find some source from which water could
be niped into the town, and beg to submit herewith a brief note on the subject.
Note on the ’water-supply of Bandar Abbas.
Water is at present obtained by the inhabitants of Bandar Abbas from two
sources:—
(\) There are in or near the town about a dozen c< birkehs ^ or vater
reservoirs of the type familiar throughout the Gulf. Water is obtained from
-atchment areas in the hills near Bandar Abbas, and thence is taken by channels,
sometimes lined with masonry and occasionally covered over, to the birkehs.
Manv of these “ birkehs ” have fallen into disrepair, and some into disuse.
The supply depends entirely on the rainfall and is consequently precarious
and uncertain, and the water when obtained though sweet, is very dirty
and is said to produce guinea-worm. In a normal *year these birkehs
-upplv water to the inhabitants of the town for about five or six months, but in a
year* when the rainfall is below the normal or is badly d-slnbuted the supply is
Ltnmllv much less. Reckoning the present population at 8,000 and the tmure
pfpu^on at 25 000 this sup P ly 8 even in normal years, would not last more than
k P . 1 fMxrnn this neriod would not be continuous as the birkehs
woul({"probably be emptied between the different rainfalls. Moreover, should it
be decided to locate the new port further to the west this supply would not be
svailahle Some expenditure would be necessary in repairing the birkehs,
available. Some expeno i uncertain nature of the supply
The supply obtainable from “ birkehs " may, I think, be .gnored.
( „ Wh „ t h. ™
about 200 or 300 yaids n o g jj e f rom t h e eastern end of the town,
these wells are ^nated about h l T d t ; nterva i s a l on g the shore
srm“r r w th“:s,°a“i »•»..«.«m
f QK 1
No
Q

About this item

Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, notes, and maps relating to the development of railways projects in South Persia and the associated marine surveys of Gulf ports, notably Bandar Abbas and Bushire.

The volume includes the report of Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson on the technical issues concerning development of railway lines between Bushire and Shiraz, and Bandar Abbas and Shiraz. Also included is a report on the commercial possibilities of these two developments, compiled by Commercial Adviser, H G Chick. These reports (folios 101-124) are preceded by an accompanying summary and analysis by 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. , Percy Zachariah Cox.

Also discussed in the correspondence is the question of concessions for railways in the neutral zone and the relative advantages (climate, water supply) of Bushire and Bandar Abbas as railway termini in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The correspondence also features discussion of a rumoured German scheme for a Bushire-Shiraz railway.

Further discussion surrounds the arrangements for marine survey work in the region of Henjam and Bandar Abbas to be undertaken by the RIMS Palinurus. A report by the Captain of the Palinurus, Captain B W Mainprise is included along with three marine survey maps (folios 48-50).

The principal correspondents in the volume include: 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. and Consul General for Fars (Lieutenant Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox); (Lieutenant Colonel Stuart George Knox); First Assistant to 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. , Captain L Birdwood; Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department; Under Secretary of State, 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. ; Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey); Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Louis Mallet); Director, Royal Indian Marine, Walter Lumsden; Officer Comanding, RIMS Palinurus ( Captain B W Mainprise); Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department.

The volume 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.

Extent and format
1 volume (129 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 4648 (Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports) consists of 1 volume, IOR/L/PS/10/316. The explanation of the cover sheet/divider at the front of each volume (regarding the correspondence series numbers which have been put together to form the volumes) will be given in the Scope and Content.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 127; 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 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 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎35r] (74/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943904.0x00004b> [accessed 19 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_100045943904.0x00004b">File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [&lrm;35r] (74/258)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045943904.0x00004b">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0000d0/IOR_L_PS_10_316_0074.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_100000000419.0x0000d0/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image