ملف رقم ١٢٦٥ لسنة ١٩٠٧ "الخليج الفارسي:- المحطات اللاسلكية" [و‎‎١‎٩‎٩] (٤٣٤/٤٠٦)

[Confidential.]
No. 1023 , dated Bushire, the 29 th March (received 6 th April) 1908 .
From—M ajor P. Z. Cox, C.I.E,, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
To—S. H. Butler, Esq., C I.E, Secretary to the Government of India in the
Foreign Department, Simla.
I have the honour to revert to the correspondence ending with Foreign
Department letter No. 570-E., dated 23rd March 1903, on the subject of tele
graphic communication between Bushire and Bahrein.
2. It will, I feel sure, be conceded that the 5 years which have since elapsed
have seen a considerable development both of the commercial and political
aspects of our position in the Persian Gulf generally. Thus in 1904 Political
Agents of the Government of India were appointed to the ports and territories of
Koweit and Bahrein, a measure which has brought with it the more frequent
need of speedy inter-communication in connection with official business. Then
again, questions connected with the Quarantine Service of the Gulf (adminis
tered by us for the Persian Government) and affecting the working arrangements
in force at the various ports of steamer call, including Bahrein and Koweit, have
been greatly in evidence, owing both to the provisions of the last Paris Conven
tion and to the increasedly jealous criticism of our regime indulged in by the
representatives of Foreign Powers. Difficulties both with Bahrein and Koweit
have already arisen from time to time in this connection owing to the inability
of the Residency Surgeon as Chief of the Service to get into speedy communi
cation with either port, especially Bahrein, to which there is only a fortnightly
mail. Next, I would allude to the traffic in smuggled arms from the Arab to
the Persian shore which has of late assumed such alarming proportions. It is
most desirable that British Officers at all ports which are closely identified with
the traffic should be in telegraphic communication with one another and with
His Majesty’s Ships.
Last, but not least, must be remembered the active competition of Foreign
Powers, especially Germany at the present moment, with our seaborne trade, a
consideration which makes it of the utmost importance that we should place
every possible facility in the hands of our own merchants likely to assist them
in the struggle. The power to communicate by telegraph with their principals
in India is one patent way in which they can be helped if we may judge from
their repeated representations for cable extension.
All these considerations, I submit, combine to accentuate the desirability, .
not to say the necessity, of linking up both ports telegraphically, and there is
no doubt that the measure would be cordially welcomed by the Arab Chiefs
concerned.
At the time my predecessor placed the matter before the Government of
India both the cable and wireless systems were indeed considered, but at that
epoch cable extension was held to be too expensive a measure, while the exist
ing wireless systems were adjudged insufficiently perfected to warrant adoption
in the Persian Gulf. Since then, wireless telegraphy has made great strides and
in view of the other developments above indicated, 1 now venture to submit the
question for consideration.
3. I recently took an opportunity of consulting the officiating Director,
Persian Gulf Telegraphs, on the subject generally. I gathered from him that the
cost of cable extension to Bahrein alone would probably be from 4^ to 5 lakhs
initial and 7,000 rupees annual recurring expenditure ; whereas in the case of a
wireless installation the initial expenditure for installations at Bahrein and Bushire
would be well under one lakh and the monthly recurring expenditure about
Rs. 1,000 for each station. Thus it appears that in the course of 25 years
the Government of India would have incurred about the same expenditure which
ever system were adopted.
The Department of the Director, Persian Gulf Telegraphs, favours the cable
alternative, partly perhaps because they have hitherto had no connection with