File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [100v] (205/258)
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.
Government of India communication marginally cited. •' Owing, however, to his b '
first of all deputed to Luristan—as the more pressing measure—in connection
the projected Mohammerah-Khoremabad project, it was not until August 1911
he was able to undertake the Aliabad expedition, at the end of which he was detai H
in Shiraz and Ispahan on duty in connection with the passage of the Central In ]•
Horse to Ispahan, and was thus prevented from drawing up his reports imtil h
reached Bushire in February. When they reached me, on my return from India th
questions of these particular projects were not in lively issue with Governme f-
I therefore delayed their dispatch until I could submit at the same time a parall 1
report which Mr. Chick was preparing on the commercial possibilities of railw 6
enterprise in these regions, based on investigations made by him during his own rec t
travels on the trade routes and short sojourn at Shiraz.
3. The Government of India will have seen from the diaries which Lieutenant
Wilson furnished during his absence, that, as was the case while he was in Luristan
the anarchy which prevailed in the province of Ears during his deputation (and still
prevails) made it impracticable for him to make as full an examination as could be
desired of alternative alignments; such as, for example, the Bushire-Firuzabad-Shira
route. This is the more regrettable as the intended examination of this route b
Captan Hopkins, B.E., was not carried out.f Lieutenant Wilson was, however able
to examine an alternative route (via Fasa) between Jahrum and Shiraz, and the reuorf
drawn up by him on this alignment and on the Bunder Abbas-Shiraz line o-enerallv
forms Enclosure No. 2 to this letter. ^
4. The details which are furnished in Part 1 of the first report will, it is hoped
enable railway experts to arrive at definite conclusions as to the practicability and
probable cost of a railway along the particular alignment traversed by Lieutenant
Wilson, which, for reasons explained by him, the latter regards as the only one which
can, broadly speaking, be looked on as commercially practicable for a branch to Bushire
from a Bunder Abbas-Shiraz line.
Taking the distance along the alignment from Bushire to Jahrum at 250 miles, he
estimates that the general cost per mile will work out to 5,1 GOL a mile, giving a total
of 1,285,000Z. He gives reasons for his belief that an alignment via Firuzabad would
present greater difficulties than the less direct and more southerly line recommended by
him. It is of interest in this connection to note that Captain Hopkins has also
formed an unfavourable impression of the Firuzabad route, j
5. In Part 2 of his first report Lieutenant Wilson submits his views with
icgaid to the financial prospects of a Bushire-Jahrum branch. In formulatum them
he assumes that it would not be constructed until after the completion of a line from
Bunuer Abbas to Shiraz, and his conclusions based on that assumption are
unfavourable^ On the other hand, he expresses the view that it is important to
connect Us m e with Shiraz, and that any scheme of concessions for railways in Southern
eisia s ion include the option to make the Bushire—Shiraz connection by some route
01 ^ i f 1 *’ an remai yS in this connection that he believes a rack railwav or monorail
could be constructed along the present telegraph route. It will be noted that Captain
op ms a so av ours the Kazerun route for a line to Shiraz on the primd facie
evidence of maps and reports to which he had access. (Vide his letter of the 7th
Lebruary, 1912, above quoted.)
a - dealing with the above, is seen to be not only an enthusiastic
rirfT ^ +1 ' e .u U f hir -~ ShiraZ c . onnec ti° n by one route or another, but goes so far as
a um, Li • >S /’ C . 1 ^ 13 -°^ C011s iderably more immediate importance than the Bunder
. U1 aZ B 10 *F C ^ an d’ secondly, that a line over the Bushire-Kazerun route has
f Qllr . n ^ r f S ^ C + f ° co . mme l" c i a l success than any other route to Shiraz from the Gulf,
np rfil • r ° ,. e ’ s . e Mev ^ s be adduces exhaustive figures and arguments based on his
cTZcS groS" 8 aild expeiiences ’ Which certai by make up I very good ease
8. In his second report Lieutenant Wilson deals with
(a ) The Bunder Abbas-Shiraz project generally,
r) Au P oss !f e extension of it to Mohammerah.
e.) 1 he possible extension of it to Ispahan.
(d.) the possible extension of it to Kerman.
t S Welr t Lfir r S\ I)era . rtme ' 1 , t endorsement, dated February 8 , 1910.
under Foreign Department lette^a^ Becembw 5 To'™” 1611 * ° f India ’ date<1 November 1911 ’ reCe '
e^er ated Febmary /, 1912, to the Government of India in the Foreign Department
on
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.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/316
- Title
- File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:40v, 41v:47v, 51r:126v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence