'Report of a committee of enquiry on the lighting and buoyage of the Persian Gulf. 1909' [‎8v] (16/18)

16
Sir E. Grey attaches great importance to the maintenance of this service
in British hands, and he desires me to ask you whether, in order that our
position in regard to the buoys may be made doubly secure, the British India
Steam Navigation Company would still be willing, as suggested by you in
your letter to Mr. Maxwell of 15th February 1907, to make over their existing
buoys to His Majesty's Government, who would. Sir E. Grey hopes, be able
to maintain them, free of cost to the Company, for the benefit of British
shipping in the Gulf. I may add that we are at present in communication
with the Admiralty with regard to the laying down of some additional buoys
in the Gulf waters, which would be maintained by His Majesty's Govern
ment, in connection with those at present owned by the British India Steam
Navigation Company, should the latter find themselves in agreement with
the above proposal.
Yours sincerely.
Sir J. L. Mackay, G.C .M .G., Charles Hardinge.
&c., &c., &c.
Sir J. Mackay, British India Steam Navigation Company, Limited, to
J. E. Ferard, Esq., Assistant Secretary, Political Department, India
Office.
9, Throgmorton Avenue, London,
4th September 1908.
We have now received full particulars from Bombay, showing the
buoys belonging to the British India Steam Navigation Company in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , together with charts showing the positions of the buoys marked
thereon, ^ou will observe that there are no buoys belonging to the Com
pany in Bushire. There are 17 buoys altogether in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
belonging to the Company; 15 are marked on the chart, and the other two,
which were sent up in July 1908 to be placed at the mouth of the Shatt-al-
Arab, had not been actually placed when Bombay wrote on 31st July, but we
will get information from Bombay showing where these last two buoys had
been placed.
I enclose a letter, dated 3.1st July, from Bombay, giving particulars of
the buoys, showing their cost. I also send five charts, in which the position
of all the buoys is marked, with the exception of the two at the mouth of the
Shatt-al-Arab to which I have referred above. In case these charts should
go adrift again, please note that I have kept a spare copy in this office.
Jas. Mackay.
No. 270.
Dear Sir, Bombay, 31st July 1908.
Navigation in Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
We duly received your telegram of 29th instant, reading—
"Our letter of 12thidtimo; send by first mail information asked for,
also two copies charts showing Company's buoys marked in red.''
and replied to-day as under :—
" Referring to your telegram of 29th, are sending charts information
asked for by this mail."