ملف رقم ٤٦٤٨ لسنة ١٩١٢ "مشروعات السكك الحديدية في جنوب بلاد فارس؛ عمليات المسح لموانئ الخليج" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٣] (٢٥٨/٢٥٠)

47
Previous Objections to Bushire Alignment.
Official discouragement of a Bushire-Shiraz railway and support of the Bunder
Abbas connection may conceivably have been based by the Government of India on
two assumptions commonly held :—
(1.) That the physical geography of the country between Bushire and Shiraz
rendered railway-making an impracticable, or at any rate financially inadmissible,
project.
(2.) I hat the port of Bushire was incapable of improvement to make it suitable as
a railway terminus.
Survey of Bushire Harbour needed.
As regards (2) it is respectfully _ submitted that the question of the specific
amelioration of the roadsteads of Bushire and Bunder Abbas has never been taken up,
and it is probable that very considerable improvement of the anchorage and facilities
for ships could be effected. I am also convinced that the dredging of channels from
and into.the anchorages, and a steam lighterage company properly equipped would
effect a vast difference to the port as it is, and enable it to cope with a largely increased
traffic.
In any case it is unjustifiable to condemn permanently the development of trade in
the hinterland of Bushire (with all irs British traditions) by reason of an opinion widely
held by passing travellers as to the difficulties of the anchorage, and a technical report
on the possibilities of improvement of the various Gulf harbours is essential before the
scheme of railway exploitation is finally settled. Such a report would be of immediate
practical value. .
Practicability of Bushire Alignment.
1. The survey of Lieutenant Wilson shows that by making a considerable detour
to the south-east, railroad construction linking Bushire with Shiraz via Jahrum would
be no more difficult than most similar undertakings in Persia, though the Bunder Abbas-
Jahrum alignment is far easier.
His estimates of the length and cost of construction of such railways are :—■
Bushire-.Tahi um-Shiraz, 354 miles
Bunder Abbas-Jahrum-Shiraz, 343 miles
£
1.655.000
1.701.000
Assuming the lines to be constructed according to these surveys, with practically
similar mileage and therefore presumably freight charges also, it is extremely unlikely
that any of the present import trade via Bushire would be diverted to Bundei Abbas,
nor that part of the export trade from Shiraz and north of it. Bushire has the
advantage of a trading connection which is not possessed by the other port. Shippmo
freights from Europe would not differentiate perceptibly between the two ports ; and
only in port dues, lighterage, &c., might Bunder Abbas be at an advantage. e 11168
would be competitive over their greater distance, and commercially that from Bum ei
Abbas is more likely to lose. . ,
But now that the former belief has been refuted, and it is established that at least
one possible railway alignment from Bushire does exist, f^ 1616 801116 ^
attempting to find a shorter and more direct route between Bushire and Shiraz. t
must be admitted that all possible routes have not been surveyed, and a great deal
still remains to be done. Lieutenant Wilson mentions the possibility of an alignment
along the Shahpur River, which could not greatly exceed 200 miles in length and from
personal observation I can say that at least 80 mi es o its eng i inverse ev P
My own journey vi& Firuzabadled me to think that railway construction should oe easy
for a large part of the distance between Bushire and Firuzabad
It cannot be necessary to traverse over 350 miles to cover the distance Ween the
coast and Shiraz, when caravan traffic for a century and ; ;, ha11 '^b ^i mr^
following routes only 180 to 200 miles in length Mter a!!, cheapness of prima^
construction at the price of long detours does not always J towards
results, and the cost incurred in making the detour would go a long way towards
payment of dearer construction over a shorter route. ^ ^ ^ March, 1911,1
In my memorandum with despatch iNo. , L ’ , 4- 0
gave details tending to show that in recent years of d ' S ”f. r . bXc anl
80,000Z. and more were being paid annually in tiansp ^
[2619 i— 1 ]