Coll 28/110 ‘Persia. Economic & Financial Assistance by H.M.G.’ [‎21r] (41/79)

COPY
r~
British Consulate,
Confidential.
i * / • i»
i-/ A
j Khorrarnshahr,
1st November, 1943.
No.96-T.
P r '' '1 n
D C *' u
-Mr,
\
fl
1943 1
~ l—■■ ■ 1
I have the honour to refer to your circular despatch
No. 89(1179/18/43) dated the 17th October 1943 in which you
asked for suggestions and observations on the saving telegram
which formed an enclosure to your despatch.
I am not aware of the plans the Persian Government may
have under consideration for the commercial development of
Ports in Southern Iran after the war, it seems clear however that
any such plans cannot altogether ignore the vast improvements
which have been effected, for purely military reasons, in
the Port of iChorramshahr during the past two years; and that
sooner or later some attention will have to be paid to putting
what remains of the facilities now available to the best commercial
use.
As an example of the development which has taken place
^ I would mention that two years ago the capacity of the Port was
roughly 1000 tons a month; there was no railway and no jetty;
while to-day the port can deal with as much as 4000 tons of cargo
a day ; there are jetties large enough to berth seven ocean going
ships at a time and a link of the main trans-Persian Railway
extends up to the Customs jetties and Port area.
With these facilities available there is no doubt that,
given due attention, Khorramshahr can be developed into a port
of considerable importance for dealing with trade, not only for
the interior of Persia but also with transit trade fof markets
in Russia and perhaps even eastern Europe. I would accordingly
suggest that as an earnest of our intention to bring tangible
benefits in the economic field we should offer to the Persian
Government the services of expert technicians and town planners
to study the problem of developing on commercial lines the existing
facilities of the Port, which have been built purely with regard
to military necessity.
Such development would not only render invaluable service
I to the Persian Government but also to our own trade, more particularly
that of India, which must inevitably search for new markets to absorb
the increased supply of manufactured goods which will be avialhble
for export as a result of the industrialisation which has taken place
there during the war years.
I am sending a copy of this despatch to the Hon*ble 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
(SGD) ???? A.£
H.M.*s Consul, Khorramshahr.
bir .Reader u• dullard, K. C. W. G. ,C. I. E.,
His Britannic Majesty’s Minister,
British Legation,
TEHRAN.