'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.' [‎133v] (271/386)

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roclcv point of Caps Musandim or on one of the "three islands, called the
Quoins, that are situated at a little distance from it in tt.e open sea. We
believe that, for nautical purposes, the latter might be slightly the superior
position : but the political advantages of placing the light upon a point of the
IVl usandirn peninsula are deserving of serious consideiation, and will probably
incline us to select this locality. The matter is one upon which we are about
to consult the authorities interested, and we will address you again upon it.
In the event of a light-house being built, we think that the cost might
properly he charged to Indian revenues.
7. We now pass to a discussion of the second question to which we have
referred viz , that of the re-opening of a British telegraph station at Henjam or
Bassidore W T e need not recapitulate the arguments which we have employed
on a previous occasion, in favour of such a measure; for they have already
obtained the approval of His Majesty’s Government. The only question at
Bsue is the choice between the two sites ; and it was this question that His
Excellency the Yiceroy and the Admiral charged themselves more particularly
with the endeavour to decide.
Henjam appeared to them to be so
the Admiral’s two letters, that it is un-
cutssai ^ The earlier discussions on the matter,
particularly by the naval authorities, appear to have rested on some misappre
hension ofthe object which it is sought to secure. We did not propose the
re-institution of our former cable station at Henjam in order to create a naval
port or station there (for, as we have shown, there are superior positions nearer
to the mouth of the Gulf), hut in order to provide for our ships a place of
telegraphic call and signal station at no great distance from the entrance, and
to strengthen our hold upon the island of Kishm, where we already possess a
British settlement at the western extremity, and to which the smaller island
of Henjam physically belongs. Eor these purposes there can he no doubt
that Henjam is" a greatly superior locality to Bassidore. It possesses the further
advantages that, while Bassidore is rather out of the way and difficult of
access except to small vessels, ships of any size can anchor temporarily off
Henjam. Moreover, it would be easy to connect the latter by cable with Khor
TCawi at a time of emergency, should the Khor ever
station.
8. The arguments in favour of
conclusive, and are so clearly stated in
necessary to recapitulate them here.
be utilised as a coaling
9. There remains the question of the method by which, if His Majesty ’s
Government approve of the suggestions now made, we should proceed. Three
alternatives appear to be practicable. Either we may address the Persian
Government, and solicit their permission to re-establish our former Telegraph
Station at Henjam, a request which, in their present temper, it is more
than likely that they would refuse; or we may inform them that we
propose to take this step in the exercise of rights of possession, which,
though not utilised for years, have never been surrendered; or as suggested by
Sir A. Hardinge in his despatch No. 97 (Secret), dated 27th June 1903, we
may simply send a telegraph ship there, with the materials and the necessary
staff, and may resume possession of the former site, informing the Persian
Government of the accomplished fact, and explaining that we have decided to
restore our old station xm the original terms, which included freedom from
Customs interference, for the convenience of our ships and Commanders in the
Gulf. We may add that the site is quite unmistakable. The plinth upon
which the British Telegraph Station stood from 1869 to 1881 is still in a good
state at a little distance from the straits on the northern shore of the island,
and the trench in which the cable was laid to the sea is clearly visible. The
Malik ut-Ta jar, who held a lease of the Kishm salt-mines, erected a flag-pole
on this foundation some 12 years ago ; hut it does not appear that a flag was
ever hoisted upon it, nor are there any representatives of the Persian Govern
ment now upon the island. In fact, so far as the Yiceroy was able to
ascertain, connections are maintained by the inhabitants with the opposite
or Arab coast of the Gulf that might almost entitle Henjam to be described
as a derelict, upon which no trace of Persian sovereignty is now in existence.
10. On 21st September 1903, Sir A. Hardinge addressed a telegram to
the Eoreign Office in which’ lie said that his original proposal which we have