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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎111r] (226/258)

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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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23
APPENDIX I.
'• Extract fro* “Note E. Eo V Uns, 7,1,,
feasible, and would not meet gTea^Mgjneerbg dfffieultls^Therrwo^rb‘ S qUite
altitude X^Mfet! 0 ruling gradient ^ ? hiraz havingTn
without a tunnel. The length of line from Shim? 1n ~R n Tvf PaSS C ° uld be crossed
or less. The countr, passed through felted ^ 210
obstacle. In fact Nasir Khan, the Bakhtiari Governor of Behbehan^blk ( 0rmidab j l ®
soon bring them to reason. ehan > ^ backed up, could
• 1 T i“ n lltlarI r ‘ 11 ^.Arabs would of course welcome any British enternrise Tl,
, s plenty of heavy oak timber for minor bridging and small wood for fuel tL„ lh
of o. near Ramuz, and of coal near Burasjun, would seem to indicate the plobabihtv of
coal being found m paying quantities in the district. The country is w" H wate e^bv
large mountain rivers, in great contrast to Ears and Kerman, and it is qule certain
^ mou exS 10nS W ° Uld tend t0 inCreaSe the Culti - ted - d populated' a a an
Traffic Prospects.
, d ,ie P r ^, ( ? nt Vil, " e of tlie tr : ,<le of> Mohammerah and Bushire is perhaps 2 400 0007
of this a million represents opium, pearls, gum, carpets, &c.; the ba anc^,' miriv
imported goods, which would be carried over the railway to Shiraz, and thence to
spahan, and Kerman. The profit obtained from a charge of 5 per cent, on 1 400 0007
or carnage to Shiraz would be 70,0007.; allowing half of this for working exposes
ton™ nT 1 *. 111 - a balance ^ 35,0007., which would justify a capital expenditure of
100.0007. at o per cent. This amount gives 3,3337. for cost of construction. There
appears to be every reason to suppose that a metre gauge line, with 1 in 40 ruling
grade, could be easily built for that amount, with terminal arrangements
, There are, in fact, good reasons for promoting a thorough investigation of the route
the best harbour, and the prospects of the line generally.
TJotc by Lieutenant Wilson on above.
T The suggestion that the line should commence at Bunder Dilam is, I think,
impracticable.
2. A ruling gradient of 1 in 40 is extremely unfavourable. The Bushire and
Bunder Abbas alignments can be constructed on an estimated ruling: gradient of
1 in 100. ° *
3. I disagree with Captain Hopkins’s estimate of the ability of the Mamasani,
not to mention the Buwair Ahmad and Kashgai, to interfere with the line, and I am
convinced that the British Government alone can never keep them in order; nor is it by
any means certain that the Bakhtiari and Arabs will welcome railway enterprise.
4. The possibility of finding coal and oil anywhere near the line is too remote to
he a factor in considering this alignment. The increase in population in districts, now
tenanted by nomads, would probably be very slow indeed; the nomads would take
good care of that.
b. I think 50 per cent, too low a proportion to allow for working expenses, and as
the line must start from Mohammerah or Khor Musa, and not Bunder Dilam, involving
another 100 miles of line, I do not think that the figures on which Captain Hopkins
relies can be accepted.

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' [‎111r] (226/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x00001b> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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