'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [‎40r] (84/143)

65
Van Edggen did practically no levelling and his scheme was based upon
quite insufficient observation; in consequence some of his main channels ran
uphill and the whole scheme has been prepared with a total neglect of levels.
As it is intended that the main channels should be used as reservoirs, locks
are provided by Van Roggen where necessary.
His estimate of crop outturn was far too high even for Indian canals, and
quite out of the question for ’Arabistan where there are no good cultivators
and waste of water would inevitably occur.
Van Roggen had allowed too little for evaporation and too much for
rainfall and had ignored the effect of silt in chocking his canals and reser-
voirs. , , , ui •
In regard to labour, Major Morton considered the amount available m
’Arabistan insignificantly small compared with the amount of earth work to
be executed for Van Roggen’s scheme (2,800 million cubic feet). Van Rog-
gen’s proposals to import machines for the purpose was, he thought, impracti^
^able since apart from the initial cost of working (with coal at £2-55. a ton)
they would for the most part be wholly unsuitable for the work required oi
Van Roggen’s scheme allowed nothing for land compensation, although
it was to be expected that numerous claims would be filed for compensation
in respect of the lands to be occupied by him : such compensation could not
be estimated at less than £4 per acre. TT ^ /01
As regards the return on the capital to be expended by Van Roggen (^ 4
millions) it was pointed out that if the Persian Government, or whoever
supplied the capital, got 25 per cent, of the agricultural produce, the value ot
this would not amount in practice to more than H P er ce . nt ; °P th f. ca P ltal
invested even assuming the correctness of Van Roggen s optimistic estimates.
Summarising his conclusions he stated that it was quite obvious that Van
Roggen’s scheme had no chance of paying financially in the small area which
it was possible for the canal to irrigate. Even supposing the probab e
revenue to have been greatly underestimated, no reasonable figure could possi
bly make it a success. Even with trebled revenue less than 5 per cent, on
capital outlay would be obtained. Van Roggen s scheme, he said was 5 times
as costly as the most expensive work in India, although based on the mot jy
estimates of cost of labour, etc. Any scheme of irrigation from the Karun to
be practicable must be in his view of the simplest possible kind, and fi
daily without any juggling with figures and it should be worked with rega
to the interests of the Shaikh of Mohammerah rather than those of the Persian
G ° Ve Thr Government of India, in September 1905, agreed that Van Roggen s
scheme was out of the question and requested Major Morton to go in
question of an alternative project on reasonable lines In pursuance of these
instructions Major Morton commenced further detailed sfirveys of both banks,
embracing the whole area that could be commanded. . , • i
In the meanwhile rumours of German participation in the scheme gained
currency, although it does not appear tha,t any investigation by German»
bv their agents had been made : the Shaikh of Mohammerah heard from a
private source in Tehran that a German firm had been introduced to the
Persian Government, and was prepared to lend 3,000,000 Tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. at _4 per
cent for the execution of the Karun works, a proposal which Mushir-ud-
Dauleh was about to accept. No confirmation of this rumour could be ob
tained although the Persian Government were suspected of trying to borrow
money in Germany. An attempt was however, made during the year to float
an International Company with Dutch Directors and a capital of 30,000,000
francs for the purpose of working the Karun irrigation scheme.
The Government of India, in September 1906, in reference to these
rumours stated that in their opinion anv Karun irrigation concession should
he obtained for British enterprise if possible, partly for political reasons so as
to make it possible for them to obtain harbours in the Khiir Musa, and partly
in order to counterbal ance the loss of trade which might result from the
Elt iT^ot clear whether copies of Mn]or Morton’s detailed criticisms of Van Roggen’s scheme were sent to
Ilis Majesty’s Legation by the Government of India.