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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎105v] (215/258)

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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. .

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12
obviously desirable that we should retain our dominant influence in the neighbourly
and, on the other hand, involves the danger, in case we do not, that a fcreio U p 10 ^’
anxious to create interests in the neutral zone, may think it worth whikfto obt^’
railway concessions between Bushire and Ispahan in order to obtain vested inter T*
and to compete, with every chance of success, with lines under British auspices run^ S ’l|
to Bunder Abbas. For this reason, if for no other, it would seem still to be f
importance that any application for a concession in railways in Southern Persia sh U
include the option to connect Bushire with Shiraz by a Bushire-Jahrum branc? 1
other means. I say “ other means ” because my observations have led me to belie^
that a rack railway or monorail between Bushire and Shiraz by a modification of tlT
telegraph route could be commercially practicable. The alignment I have in mind r 6
from Bushire across Dashtistan, the Shapur River, to Shapur, thence to Dasht-i-Ba 8
(avoiding the Kutal-i-Dukhtar). It would then ascend the hills towards DashtaH m
leaving the Dasht-i-Barm 3 miles west of Kaluni, and reaching the Dashtarjan Plain b'
the Kal Pass (thus avoiding the Kutal-i-Pirizan). From Dashtarjan to Shiraz no-
serious obstacles to a railway on a ruling gradient of 1 in 50 exist.
Enclosure 5 in No. 1.
Lieutenant Wilson to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir P. Cox.
Bushire, April 2, 1912.
I HAVE the honour to submit a report upon the proposed Bunder Abbas-Shiraz
Railway and its possible extensions to Ispahan and Mohammerah (or Ahwaz), based
in the case of' the Bunder Abbas-Shiraz-Ispahan alignment, upon observations made
during February-May 1907 and July-December 1911.
2. In the case of the ^ Mohammerah (or Ahwaz)-Shiraz line, I am personally
familiar only with the Arabistan section from Mohammerah to near Behbehan ; but I
have added to my notes a description obtained from various sources of the*rest of
the alignment.
I have, &c.
A. T. WILSON.
(On special duty)
Enclosure 6 in No. 1.
liepoi f on the proposed Bunder Abbas—Shiras Railway and its possible Extensions
to Ispahan and Mohammerah.
Part I.— Bunder Abbas—Shiraz.
a ^ een m y £ 00( 1 fortune to travel over the Bunder Abbas—Lar-Jahrum-Kara
Agach-Shiraz alignment (in March 1907) and in 1911 over the alternative Jahrum-
*asa feniraz alignment, and from Shiraz to Ispahan (both in 1907 and 1911). More-
over, urmg my deputation in connection with the Bushire—Jahrum connection I
e\o ec much attention to the general problem of railway construction in Ears and the
compara i\ e merits of various alignments, and arrived at certain conclusions which are
Population.
Southern Persia suffers less from a dearth of ports than from a dearth of
expo! s, i is a poor country, and always will be so under the Persian Government.
^ A 1011 0 South-West Persia is small, that of the whole neutral zone being
750 OOff 1 no moie ^ an 2,000,000. The population of Fars is estimated at about
Imports.
Maroh a ^ Ue w hole °f Persia during the year ending the 201
if we assump’ ^ an avei> age of less than 18s. per head of the populatioi
about 15s. a-hetd ^ ^ 10 ’ 000 ’ 000 - Ex P orts w ere valued at only 7,449,68lL, <

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
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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎105v] (215/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x000010> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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