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‘Persian Gulf pilot comprising the Persian Gulf and its approaches from Ras al Hadd, in the south-west, to Cape Monze, in the east.’ [‎30r] (64/404)

The record is made up of 199 folios. It was created in 1932. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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Chap. I.]
WINDS
15
region. These disturbances are usually of minor importance and
quite localised. The wind often blows from 3 to 5 days, but frequently
for only one day. Before a nashi, the air is sometimes thick with
dust blown off the land; after the first day, the air becomes clearer,
possibly owing to rain on the land. The nashi blows in gusts with 5
frequent lulls, and if lasting three days is strongest on the third
day. The barometer is not affected by a nashi, being usually high,
but if so it falls a little when the wind is over.
Squalls. —At the change of the seasons in autumn, very severe
squalls may be expected, called "uhaimir" by the Arabs. The
air is often very clear about the time of these squalls, and it does
not appear that they blow from any special direction. According
to the Arabs they are experienced between the 14th October and
the 23rd November, during which time no native vessels put to sea
until a squall is over. If they do not occur before the 23rd November, 15
the Arabs consider that there will be none until the ordinary bad
winter weather sets in. An unusual degree of electrical action is
noticed, and St. Elmo's fire has been observed on board ship at this
season.
In Basidu road, very violent squalls are experienced from north- 20
ward in May, and from south-eastward in July, but these are not
of frequent occurrence. Very heavy squalls from northward are
experienced in May near the head of the Gulf.
Alternating winds. —A succession of squalls from opposite quarters,
each lasting only a few minutes, and alternating thus several times' 25
is occasionally experienced.
Land and sea breezes. —These are uncertain. In fine Weather,
very decided land breezes are experienced, but only close inshore.
At Bushire, sea breezes are very regular in summer, setting in,
when there is no shamal, at 0900; the land breezes are very light 30
and of short duration.
At Basidu, land breezes are strong and last until 1000; sea breezes
are also regular, but do not set in so early as at Bushire.
On the Arabian coast, the land breezes are often strong in the
morning, and come off occasionally in hot gusts. At Kuwait, 35
the sea breezes are regular in fine weather.
Periodical winds. —'The following statement has been compiled
from information obtained from the masters of Arab dhows :—
Butain—2nd January to 7th February—Usually starts with a
shamal, and then changes into a westerly wind and continues as such. 40
'Ajuzah—26th February to 8th March—A very strong shamal,
lasting for at least five days. Sometimes it veers round to kaus.
Barih ath-Thuraiya or Barih as-Sarayat—7th May to 27th May—•
Usually starts with a shamal, but changes frequently and suddenly.
Normally, it is not very strong. 45
Barih al-Jauzah or Barih al-Kabfr—6th June to 16th July—
There is a strong shamal during most of this period. It is frequently
misnamed "The shamal" by Europeans.
Mirzam—17th July to 31st July—A hot period in which there
is rarely much wind. 50
Kulaibain—1st August to 13th August—Usually pronounced
"Chilaibain". There is usually a dead calm, or, if not, a kaus,
during this fortnight, which is generally the hottest time of the year.
Ukaidhib—14th October to 2nd November—Pronounced "Uchaid-
hib". Very changeable, but usually starts with a very strong 55
kaus which veers round, through west, to shamdl.

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Content

Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. pilot comprising the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and its approaches, from Ras al Hadd, in the south-west, to Cape Monze, in the east. Published for the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty by His Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1932. Eighth edition.

The pilot begins with a number of introductory sections:

  • Notice of caution when approaching British ports, including the closure of ports and examination of vessels entering ports (folio 1v, inside front cover);
  • Notations of supplements and annual summaries of notices to mariners relating to this book (folio 2);
  • Cautionary notes on the measurements, including those for (bearings, longitude, latitude, depth) given in the pilot, and the different methods of shading used to indicate colours of flags, tidal light signals and beacons in the pilot (folio 5);
  • Advertisement to the eighth edition (folio 6) providing an outline history of the pilot, and updates to the latest edition;
  • Contents page (folios 7v-8), referring to the pilot’s pagination;
  • A list of views (illustrations), with reference to the pilot’s pagination (folio 8v);
  • A glossary of terms (folio 9), organised alphabetically, and with an indication of their origin (Arabic, Baluchi, Hindustani, Persian);
  • Notes on the system of orthography (folios 10-11);
  • Information relating to Admiralty charts and other hydrographic publications and general navigation (folios 12-19), with sections on the correction of Admiralty charts, and their degree of reliance, navigational publications, including the Admiralty lists of lights and wireless signals, tide tables, and general remarks relating to practical navigation;
  • A map of the head of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , dated July 1932, indicating those areas covered by Admiralty charts (folio 20v);
  • A map of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and Gulf of Oman, dated July 1932, with an indication of those areas covered by Admiralty charts mentioned in the pilot (folio 21v);
  • An insert (folio 22) detailing those elements not included in the present volume.

The main body of the pilot is arranged in chapters and appendices as follows:

Throughout the main chapters there are illustrations of the parts of the coastline being discussed by the accompanying text. These illustrations, which are a mix of line drawing and reproductions of watercolours, indicate the profile of the land, and highlight distinctive topographical features such as trees and forts.

Extent and format
199 folios
Arrangement

The pilot is arranged into eight chapters (I-VIII) and five appendices (I-V). The arrangement of chapters is geographical, moving from the easternmost point of the Gulf in chapter II to the westermost point in chapter VIII. The contents page (ff 7-8) and alphabetically ascending index (ff 182-93) refer to the pilot’s pagination system.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the front cover, on number 1, and ends on the inside of the back cover, on number 199.

Pagination: There are two printed pagination systems, which generally situate numbers in the top-left corner of versos and the top-right corner of rectos. The first, which uses Roman numerals, runs through the pilot’s introductory pages (ff 6-19). The second pagination system uses Arabic numerals, and runs through the remainder of the pilot (ff 23-197).

The number of each chapter is indicated throughout the chapter (expressed as ‘Chap.’ and the chapter number as a Roman numeral) in the top-left corner of rectos and the top-right corner of versos. The lines of text on each page in each chapter are numbered in intervals of five (i.e. 5, 10, etc.)

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English in Latin script
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‘Persian Gulf pilot comprising the Persian Gulf and its approaches from Ras al Hadd, in the south-west, to Cape Monze, in the east.’ [‎30r] (64/404), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C251, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023623198.0x000041> [accessed 22 January 2025]

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