Coll 30/59 'Persian Gulf. Creation of Persian Navy, etc' [‎310r] (620/624)

[This Docoment is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL
[E 1412/1016/34]
Sir R. Clive to Sir A usten Chamberlain.—{Received March 18.)
(No. 110.)
Sir, Tehran, February 27, 1929.
I HAVE the honour to report that during his stay in Tehran I arranged for
Captain Boyes, senior naval officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to meet Commander del Prato,
of the Italian Naval Mission.
2. Captain Boyes will no doubt report fully to the Admiralty, but I have
thought it well to transmit to you a copy of the report which the military attache to
this Legation has sent to the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence at the
War Office.
3. 1 also enclose a record of the conversation which Mr. Havard had with
Major Dezan, another officer of the Italian Naval Mission.
4. Copies of this despatch and of its enclosures are being sent to the Foreign
Secretary to the Government of India and to His Majesty’s High Commissioner
for Iraq.
I have, &c.
R. H. CLIVE
/ f
2 ^
No. 1.
March 18, 1929
Section 14.
/
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Major Woodward to Director of Military Operations, War Office.
Memorandum.
THE following information regarding proposed Persian naval forces has been
gleaned from Commander del Prato by Captain Boyes, British senior naval officer,
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. :—
Navy.
Two vessels of 1,000 tons each, internal combustion engines, probably armed
with two 4-inch guns and two machine guns. These vessels may also be
used for surveying.
Revenue Service.
Four gunboats of 250 tons each, internal combustion engines ; armament,
one 50-mm. gun and two machine guns.
The above are being built in Italy, due to arrive in the Gulf middle of 1930.
At Mohammerah.
A floating dock to lift 2,000 tons.
A floating workshop.
A barrack and training school to take 200 men.
Nine Persian officers are being trained in Italy and are to come to Persia at the
end of 1930.
A naval mission of Italian officers and petty officers is also to come to Persia.
As the Persians know nothing whatever about naval matters, Prato is experiencing
some difficulty in his dealings with them.
The items in the current budget relative to the navy are :—
For purchase of new and repair of old vessels and expenses in connexion with
foieign naval officers, 400,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. .
There are two items “ credits for sending students to Europe ” under the military
and general budgets respectively, but this money will have been earmarked
already.
Under the circumstances it appears an ambitious programme with the funds
available, and will take some years to complete.
R. F. WOODWARD, Major,
Military Attache.
Tehran, February 17, 1929.