'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎132v] (269/386)

coast between Kkor Kalba and Dibba as part of the territory of the Sheikh of
Shargah.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s obedient, humble servant,
GEORGE HAMILTON.
4
No. 16 (Secret—External), dated Fort William, the 21st January 1904.
From—The Government of India in the Foreign Department,
To The Right Hon’ble St. John Bbodiuck, His Majesty's Secretary of State for
India.
Luring the recent tour of His Excellency the Viceroy in the Persian
Gulf, in the company of the Naval Commander-In-Chief, Rear-Admiral Atkin-
son-Willes, the question of the selection of naval positions in the Gulf, which
has greatly occupied the attention both of His Majesty’s Government and of the
Government of India in recent years, was carefully considered by Their
Excellencies. In company they visited and examined all the principal ports,
harbours, or anchorages in those waters, and arrived at conclusions respecting
them, which the Naval Commander-in-Chief has already reported to the
Admiralty in a letter, dated 8th Lecembcr, copy of which was sent to us and is
forwarded herewith. The enclosures to this despatch also contain a corre
spondence that passed between the Government of India and the Admiral on
the same subject, while the squadron was still in the Persian GulL
2. Prom this correspondence it will he seen that the subjects undere
examination fell under three heads—
(i) The selection of suitable naval bases or coaling stations at the
entrance to the Gulf.
(ii) The choice of a telegraph station either at Henjam or Bassidor
(Basiduh).
(iii) The features and potentialities of the various khors or maritime
inlets at the upper end of the Gulf, to which it seems likely that
trans-Turkish or trans-Persian Railways map be taken at some
future date.
3. "We propose to address you in the present despatch on the first two
# of these subjects. We will reserve the third for a further communicatinn, only
mentioning on the present occasion that, in paragraph 51 of his letter to
the Admiralty, Rear-Admiral Atkinson-Willes has been under a mis
apprehension. No fresh steps in the nature of establishing a protectorate
over the Sheikh of Koweit have been taken by the Government of India, and
no directions of the character named have been issued to him The subject is
one that we shall discuss in the further despatch that has been promised. But
it would seem desirable to delete the paragraph in question from the Admiral’s
letter, since it ascribes to the Government of India steps which have not been
taken.
4. The question of the position to be assumed by Great Britain at the
entrance to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. either in tiie event of hostilities with a foreign
Power, or—which is perhaps even more important—with a view to preventing
the acquisition of coaling stations or harbours by such Powers in time of peace,
resolves itself into a decision as to the best stations to be occupied on the
northern and southern sides of the entrance. Stations outside the Gulf, or
inside it at any distance from the mouth, will not enable a fleet to operate with
nearly so much rapidity or advantage : while the configuration of the entrance,
the two sides of which are iu sight of each other, is such as to give to a naval