Coll 35/11 'Persian Gulf: Bahrain wireless station; refusal of Persian government to accept telegraphic traffic to or from Bahrain' [‎139r] (278/284)

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CONFIDENTIAL.
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.
B 392
P. 4193/28
Wireless Telegraph Stations in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Early History : 1904-1915.
The first definite projjosal for the use of wireless telegraphy in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. was made by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Bushire, in April 1908, 0 * p. 1297 /os.
when he proposed that Koweit and Bahrein should be linked up with
Bushire. The reasons advanced were—
(1) to give telegraphic facilities to the Political Agents of the Government
of India recently (1904) appointed to Bahrein and Koweit;
(2) to facilitate the quarantine service of the Gulf;
(3) to assist the operations against the traffic in smuggled arms; and
(4) last, but not least, to assist our seaborne trade in the Gulf in its
struggle against the active competition of foreign Powers.
The Secretary of State for India, for financial reasons, was not prepared
at that time to take the proposal into practical consideration, while, apart
from this, the question was bound up with a scheme then under consideration
for the erection of wireless stations for strategic purposes along the coast
of India.
2. It was soon after decided that a temporary wireless station should be
erected at Jask to assist the operations for the suppression of the arms traffic.
This station was opened on 24th December 1909 and, since it had been
erected within the ground of the Telegraph concession there, it was not
considered necessary to make any communication concerning it to the p. 3(>:t7/n>
Persian Government.
3. In August 1909 Messrs. Wonckhaus’s agent at Bahrein reported that his
company were anxious to establish wireless telegraph communication between
Bushire and Bahrein,! and it was agreed between the 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. and the + P 3942 / 0 ^
Foreign Office that to forestall such a project the British scheme for wireless
stations in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. should be proceeded with as rapidly as possible
It was proposed that the cost of the scheme should be shared between the
British and Indian Exchequers, and the Treasury agreed to this in principle.
P. 4076/09.
Erection of Present Stations: 1915-1917.
PW 171 */// 4- a Despatch, No. 96, dated 24th August 1911, the Government of
#4ndiaT sub miffed definite proposals, with estimates of the cost, for the
I establishment of wireless stations at Bushire, Henjam, Bahrein, Koweit and
Pwftry/ ( or Z° ra )> with a portable station to be erected at Lingah when
' w ' j required. This scheme was sanctioned by the Secretary of State for India
'*Mn his telegram of 20th February 1912. The station at Bushire was
completed on 30th January 1915, that at Bahrein on 7th June 1916, and
that at Henjam on the 10th October 1916. No station was erected at Debai
or Zora. Work on the station at Koweit was commenced and the buildings
yrere erected, but no wireless apparatus was installed as it was decided in
1916 to connect Koweit with the Mesopotamia telegraph system by erecting
a land line to Zubair.
5. It was decidedf that no communications should be made to the Persian t 1, w - 1036/12
Government regarding the erection of the stations at Ilenjam and Bushire.
The station at Henjam was situated in the Telegraph concession there, and,
as in the case of Jask, no notification to Persia was therefore deemed
necessary. The case was different at Bushire, where there is no concession
and the telegraph buildings are only hired. There had, however, been in
operation there a small wireless installation erected by the Navy, to which
no exception had been taken or question raised by the local authorities who
made free use of it themselves, and it was decided that should the Governor
of the Gulf Ports raise any question with regard to the permanent station
and refer the matter to the Persian Government the explanation to be given
was that improvements were being made in the existing installation in order
to give better facilities in connection with the suppression of the arms
traffic.
2979e 75 10.28
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