Coll 30/200 ‘Persian Gulf. Tour of Political Resident from Bahrein to Muscat in L. T. Nearchus.’ [‎16r] (32/133)

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a oamp site, an Important question with a unit of this siza,
and this, as I mention*! above, had to be done for than* In
addition it had be^n arranged ty JPaiforce, ^thout oonauiting
this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , that the CJonsuiate would use a wireless tele
phone lent them by the Navy aa a link for passing ujestagct;
from the Trane Jordan Frontier Force through Haval authorities
to the R.A*F* at Sharjah and laiforce* This would have been
completely beyond the slender resources of this post «*nd I
immediately informed them that it was out of the question. It
is difficult to describe the dislocati on caused by the despatch
of a large military body without adequate consideration to
areas in whioh they are entirely dependent for their looal
contacts on a small post. ^e have had an unfortunate
experience at Bushire during the past year of the amount of
work in whioh we are willynilly involved, without, I may say,
receiving thanks from anyone.
6. On my return to Bandar Abbas I examined the Consulate
buildings and out houses. These are in a deplorable condition
and have deteriorated very seriously since Dr. Richardson^
day . fcXJul&
KfOCMMlxttfl ft tuaa: tec /cafifogt
taixftxvflyy nwtiatxr* ^laianocthjaLcXtoiXi^^
jtflBOaOKXItteUSUCX Mr. Rogers informed me that he had already
expended his annual grants but that he had nut yet succeeded in
even completing the repairs to the roofs. I instructed him
to place the matter in hand without delay and said that 1
would go into the financial question on my return to Bushire.
It will be recalied that the Reeidenoy Engineer was permitted
to return to India, his duties being undertaken ty the beoretary.
I m afraid that in the state of chaos into which our public
works organisation has drifted it will not be easy to arrange
for the essential repairs to be done, and the work will now
have to be paid for at famine prices.
7. as I arrived in Bandar Abbas in the morning and had
to go on board at 3 p.m. there was little tiwe to complete
my ins eotion or to have given as much time to security
questions as I should have wished. Bandar Abbas was vacant
when Sir John Dashwood made his reoent tour and he therefore
did not visit it, but Mr. Rogers was present at Bushirt at
the time ani is fully aware of his methods and requirements
and is doing his best to bring Bandar Abbas up to the standard
of other paste. The room in which oonfideitial wrk is done
requires some structural alteration whioh he is putting in
hand as soon as oiroumstanoes permit.
8. A Hindu temple here bears mute witness to the former
existence of a prosperous Indian community, and their departure
from Kerman and Bandar Abbas has had a very eeriotfs effect on
the economic situation. They conducted a specialised export
trade and had connections with India whioh Persia could not
replace, aid * th their past age the province sustained a loss
which it could ill afford.
Before leaving Bandar Abbas I met the British subjects
and also two members of the Oellahdari family but had no time
for anything more than a few words. Messrs. Gray Maokensle,
the Britith India Agents, have complained for many months past
of the lack of landing facilities and constant delays to
steamers and the merchants of the town sent a representation
/ to