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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎122v] (249/258)

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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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Is is difficult to surmise in what directions, other than import and export, railw
transport could be increased. Local traffic in agricultural produce will offer, but 7
know of scanty, if any, mineral deposits with a commercial value in the neighbourhood
of either the Bunder Abbas-Shiraz or the Bushire alignment. Machinery and manu
facturing works will only be introduced by European financial enterprise.
For these reasons it is a matter of supreme interest to consider at an early stage
whether an extension of the railway in _ the direction of Ispahan be feasible from the
political point of view ; commercially, with the Ispahan market divorced from that of
Shiraz, a railway to the latter centre would, as far as imports are concerned, be leading
nowhere.
Comparison of Imports and Export Trade : both Alignments.
In the foregoing an attempt has been made to analyse carefully the existing trade
to and from the termini on the Gulf, and more particularly to arrive at an estimate
of the weight of goods, usually transported nowadays via Bushire and Bunder Abbas
which would be at once available for railway transport from those ports to Shiraz.
Provided that arrangements are made for maintaining a forwarding connection with
Ispahan, I estimate in fair years—
u
Available Export
Traffic.
Available Import
Traffic.
Tons.
Tons.
For a railway from Bushire to Shiraz
Over 21,000
9,000 to 12,000
„ „ Bunder Abbas to Shiraz
6,000
9,000 to 12,000 [?]
In these figures no account of purely local traffic is taken, nor of the weight of
cereals, which should find their way to the coast from the districts that now only produce
for local consumption. I have shown the import consumption for Shiraz as the
same in each case, but, for cogent reasons given below, I am of opinion that imports
to Shiraz via Bunder Abbas could not for a term of years expect to replace .the whole
of the carrying trade now in the hands of Bushire merchants.
It is, however, tolerably clear that a line via Bushire should be twice or three times
as remunerative in point of freight-earnings as a line from Bunder Abbas.
Geiieral Objections to Bunder Abbas—Shiraz Alignment.
t rom the commercial point of view there are moreover weighty objections of a
general character to the suggested Bunder Abbas, as compared with the Bushire, con
nection with Shiraz. A commentary is given below on the more striking of these.
Previous Standpoint in Question of Alignment.
I understand the position to be as follows:—-
It had always been assumed, and is no doubt commonly taken for granted, tha
v lenever the railway development of Persia is taken in hand Bushire and Shiraz wouli
be connected, as both are situated on the main trade artery.
T e depaitmental committee of the Government of India endorsed that opinioD
and aiso a proposal to link up Bunder Abbas with Shiraz, and ultimately Shiraz witl
e mr ^ usa. The Government of India, while recommending the Bunder Abbas-
naz connection, did not accept its committee’s opinion as regards the utility of i
usnire-Shiraz railway. Subsequently when Mr. Greenway oresented to the Foreigi
ce a o ra dways for which his syndicate proposed to ask concessions absolute!
no mention was made of linking up Bushire with the interior.
, -n eei ] 1 ^d^d in 1910 that a survey from Bushire to Aliabad, on th
f llnc ei Abbas-Shiraz route, should be made in order to examine thi
o?Jahrum 0t & JUnCtl ° n ° f lines from B ^shire and Bunder Abbas in the neighbourhoo(

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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
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File 4648/1912 'Railway projects in South Persia; surveys of Gulf ports' [‎122v] (249/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/316, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045943905.0x000032> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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