'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. PART I - The Persian Gulf.' [‎11v] (27/92)

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ships in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. was considered by the Government of India a
cient advantage to compensate for the loss in other directions. At the s ir™
time, by the reduction in the size of the vessels and by the substitution nf
natives for Europeans in respect of stoker ratings, a notable economy
effected in the wastage of European life and health in Indian waters In" iqo*
the Admiralty made a fresh proposal: it was to the effect that'the
earned on m Indian waters by ships of His Majesty’s Navy should be made
to devolve on ships of the Royal Indian Marine, and that the three subsidised
gunboats then in the Gulf should be handed over to the Government of lndi^
for incorporation in the Royal Indian Marine. The scheme however did ™?
commend itself to Lord Ourzon’s Government- they foresaw certain ad
vantages m the shape of more immediate control by themselves over a nortinn
of tbe naval force in Indian waters, in the formation of a body of office^
possessing special local qualifications, and in an enhancement of the statm If
the Royal Indian Marine; but they held that these would be outweighed bv
loss of prestige in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. wl.ere the regular war-vessels of other
European nations were now frequently seen, by decreased naval elfieiencv hv I
serious sacrifice of economy, by imperfect cooperation between the
Navy and the Royal Indian Marine, by the difficulty of arran t refieffi and
consequent prejudice to the health of crews, and bv cessation of dircof inL p
in the | J e rs ian Gulf on the part of the British naval authorities; they therefore
adhered to the opinion which they had expressed in 1902, that the t4e remedv
for the difficulties of the situation Was to arm particular ships of the Hoval
Indian Marine, when necessary, as auxiliaries to, but not as substitute f
ships of the Royal Navy. The scheme of the Admiralty was not in tll I°n
beTn fome arraD S emeQts introduced in 1901 accordingly continued to
An effective rejoinder to Russian displays of naval force was made on
occasions, at the instance of the Government of India, by the despatch of
British naval demonstrations. British vessels of superior strength tn Hia
in December 1901 was answered ^ ^7^
Amphitrite, a first class cruiser of 11,000 tons, to Maskat, Sur, Sib
under Abbas, Henjam, Bushire and Koweic ; the sight of this powerful I-'’
everywhere made a strong impression, especially at Maskat where an
of heavy gun practice was given outside the harbour The imrmH 0 ' 1
the cruise of the Russian “ Askold ” in December Km;! i rep ^ to
the Gulf in the following month of HU Mafestv’s firsi d ^ patch to
“ R«nown which had brought His Roval Highneis the T)Ile S n batt eshlp
to India for the Delhi Coronation Darhar; the “ Renown i
Bushire, Lingah, Bunder Abbas and Jask, and was by far the llmeff ^ askat '
imposing vessel which had ever been seen in the Reman Gulf! 3 * and most
But the principal demonstration of British force in the p^o
Lord Curzon s own Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. tour of 1903, which constifu™ ffispTav’Tf
Lord Curaon’s cru-'se. strength and magnificence that no foreiern
of the world : it was undertaken prirnTrih! fo!" 1 the'^nlrnJI'nf “ SUCh t a part
Indian establishments and of visiting the Arab ^ , inspecting the
the British Government, but also af a visMe skn of tie relati ° nS ' rith
and commercial ascendancy of Great Britain ^TI.Jr t m P? ," tical
carrying the Viceroy, left Karachi on the Ifitti of November 1903 ‘ Hardln S e .'’
by the second class cruiser “ Hvacinth ” fi 1J03, accompanied
Atkinson-Willes—, by the first chfrii^ser ~ 0 «--A<lmiral
class cruisers“ Fox ” and “ Pomone,”_all shins‘oAnl p’ i at ’• V tlle third
was reached on the 18th of November; the towl was Na 7 - Maskat
Sultan was cordial in an extreme decree and /ctr ’ lhe welcome of the
abounded on every side. On the fiS dav o? Z °! P ? pular re i oic i"S
highest rank was sent by the Sultan to welcome Tn V l s, p a depUfcatl011 of the
himself was received oo board ship bv the Vieornv 7a , Curzon > the Sultan
ed to the French and American Vice-Consuls T or, Wtem « ws were accord-
visited the British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , where he was entertained aUunS^dr^ to