'Persia Intelligence Report. May, 1946' [‎23r] (45/80)

[Part V — continued]
(B) PORTS
now in use is a Siemens production. The factory An East India Company trading post. workshop is quite well fitted and welding work can
be undertaken. Two- more Diesel (Mirrlees) engines were to be installed and the number of looms
increased.
Gray Mackenzie & Co., Shipping Agents, have a branch office in the town and deal with all loading
and unloading and necessary coolie A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. labour.
There is a branch of the Imperial Bank of Iran in the town (with a British manager). There is
also a small cotton piece goods factory An East India Company trading post. .
The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company have an agent in Bushire and maintain stocks of petrol and
lubricating oil (details under (a) THE PORT).
(10) Local Agriculture and Fishing
Local agriculture is confined to growing a small amount of vegetables and a little grain, but lack
of rain, and water for irrigation restricts this to a minimum and the bulk of these supplies are imported
from Iraq or brought from up country. Dates are grown in very small quantities and are also largely
imported from Iraq. There are a number of fishing vessels attached to the port and fresh or dried
fish is usually obtainable. Fresh meat is difficult to obtain without previous notice.
(11) Public Transport Services and Garages
Nil.
(12) Fire Service
Nil.
(13) Areas for Dumps and Parks
There is ample space for dumps and parks on the flat ground to the south of the town. It would be
advisable during the winter months when rain may be expected, to establish any semi-permanent
dumps on the higher ground at Reshire, but the extremely small annual rainfall makes almost any
position near the Bushire-Reshire road suitable.
CHAHBAR
(Lat., 25° 16' 28" N. Long, 60° 26' 4" E.)
{See Plans 11 and 11a and Admiralty Chart 38)
(a) THE PORT
(1) Cenex al
Chahbar is the best and indeed the only harbour on the coast of Persian Makran. The town and
port lie at the head of a small bay between Chahbar Point and Tiz Point, within Chahbar Bay on the
Makran coast of the Arabian Sea. Distant about 180 miles from Jask, 60 miles from the Indian
frontier and 320 miles west of Karachi.
Approaches
Chahbar Bay is approached direct from the sea, in deep water, between Ras Kuhlab and Chahbar
Point; there is no entrance channel and pilotage is unnecessary at any season.
A reef extends about 3 cables westward from the point, and, for a distance of about 1 cable farther
on, the bottom is foul.
The north-western side of the point is bordered by a reef, and foul ground extends about 2| cables
off-shore, as far north-eastward as a small clump of date trees near the ruins of a fort ; northward of
these trees the beach is sandy.
Tiz Point lies about 3| miles northward of Chahbar Point and the intervening coast forms the
small bay, at the head of which is Chahbar town.
(2) Conspicuous Objects
Between Chahbar Point and the town, the shore is bounded by sandhills 20 to 30 ft. high. North
of the town the land rises to a high tableland, 480 ft. high, being almost precipitous in places ; its base
forms the north side of the bay.
Eight miles inland, parallel to the coast, is a range of mountains. One of its summits, Quoin Peak
(2,400 ft.), is a conspicuous landmark.
Chahbar Point is low and rocky and on it are some small sand hills ; near its extremity is a small
square tomb with a white dome, about 1 mile east-north-eastward of which are two dark-coloured
flat-topped buildings, one of which is the telegraph office, which assist in identifying the point ; this
building is visible from south-eastward.
A light is exhibited, at an elevation of 36 ft., from the roof of the telegraph office.
(3) Tides, Tidal Streams and Currents
The difference between high and low water is 6 ft. Spring tides rise 9 ft. The tidal streams in
the bay are scarcely perceptible.