"ملف ٩/ ٣٠ الشؤون البحرية والشحن: خدمة الإنارة في الخليج الفارسي" [و‎‎٣‎٢] (١٥٤/٦٣)

(deceived under India Office printed letter No.Ext.8529/47
dated 4th March 1947).
INDIA OFFICE,
WHITEHALL,
Ext. 8529/47 LONDON, S.W.1.
£ March ? ' '1947
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary of State for India to refer to
the proposed transfer to H.M.G-. of direct administrative control
and consequent expenditure in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf
and in Muscat and to state that H.M.G. would at the same time wish to
take up with the Government of India the question of the future
of the Persian Gulf Lighting Service.
2. The Persian Gulf buoys and lights were originally established
by British efforts and were maintained by the British-India Steam
Navigation Company at their own expense. The Secretary of State
understands that in about 1911 the existing buoys and lights were,
at the suggestion of H.M.G., taken over by Government at a valuation
estimated in advance as £1,000, to be divisible equally between
British and Indian revenues. (Of this estimated sum, however, only
£855 was paid, the remainder being deducted on account of buoys found
to be missing on their being taken over from the B.I.S.N. Company.)
It was at the same time arranged that the cost of future administration,
which was to be performed by the Royal Indian Marine should also be
equally divisible between British and Indian revenues. In 1925 &
further •hange in administration was decided on, the service being
thenceforward run b the Government of India on a self-supporting
basis, funds being obtained from dues charged on all vessels calling
at Basra and Jbadan, H.M.G., however, made a grant of £5,00J a
year for 5 years to cover any deficit that might arise during the
first few years of the fund’s existence as a .self-supporting service.
3. Lord Pethick-Lawrcheunsorstands that the present position is that
the Government of India is responsible for the operations of the
Persian Gulf Lighting Service, the administration being carried out
by the Nautical Adviser to the; Government of India acting v/ith
the assistance of a non-official dvisory Committee of Shipping at
Bombay; while the port Director, Basra, carries out, on behalf of
the Service, the maintenance and upkeep of its lights and buoys, as
well as the collection of port dues at Basra and Abadan.
4. In view of recent developments a review of the present
arrangements now seems in any *#ase to be desirable. The development
of the operations of the Arabian-4meriean Oil Company in Saudi Arabia,
the Koweit Oil Company at Koweit and Petroleum Concessions Limited
in Qatar have given rise to increasing oil tanker traffic not
calling at Basra or Abadan, and it will be necessary to provide ior
suitable contributions to be made by the respective Companies otherwise
than by the collection of port dues at Basra and Abadan. It is
understood that arx^angements have in fact been made with the
Arabian-American Oil Company and the Bahrein Petroleum Company ior
contributions covering recent years, but that these arrangements are not
regarded as altogether satisfactory and will need revision tor the
future.
5. In connection with the proposal that they should now assume direct
administrative control in the Persian Gulf, H.M.G. consider it appropriate
that they should themselves take ov«r from the Government of India
responsibility for the control and administration of the Persian Gulf
The Secretary to the Government of India,
External Affairs Department,
New Delhi.
Lighting/