'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎133r] (270/386)

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powcr, suitably established on either coast, a command of the interior waters
so absolute as to enable it to dispense with stations further up the Gulf, and
to exercise a commanding control over the movements of a Pow'er possessing
any such bases. For this purpose the anchorage at the eastern end of Kishm
Island, which is formed by the islands of Kishm, Larak, and Hormuz, being
enclosed between them and the mainland, on which stands the port of Bunder
Abbas, appears to afford an almost ideal position on the northern side. The
anchorage extends far up the channel between Kishm and the mainland,
which is known as Clarence Straits. It is well screened from the sea ; it
would accommodate the largest fleet ; it commands an important Persian
trading port and trade route; and there has been for a long time past a
consensus of expert nayal opinion that this is the first position that should
be occupied by Great Britain, together with the adjoining islands, in the
event of such action being required. The anchorage in question is not one
where a coaling station would probably be established, or which would call
for defence. But as a place of rendezvous for a fleet that desired to com
mand the entry to the Gulf, and to prevent the acquisition of Bunder Abbas or
the neighbouring islands by a foreign Power, it would appear to be admirably
adapted for the purpose.
5. The investigation conducted by the Viceroy and the Admiral on the
onposite shores of the month of the Gulf, where they explored the various
harbours, inlets, and fords of the curiously indented promontory commonly
known as Cape Musandim, led to equally clear conclusions. It will be seen
from the report of the Naval Commander-in-Chief that be advocates establishing
a lien as a coaling station upon the anchorage of khor Kawi on the western
side of the peninsula, presuming that further surveys, which he ordered, but
the results of wbicli we have not yet learned, confirm its desirability as an
anchorage. At the same time it would bo necessary to take steps to prevent the
occupation bv foreign Powers of the tine harbours of Kubbat Ghazira ( Malcolm
Inlet) and Khor-ash-Shem (Elphinstone Inlet), which pierce the peninsula at
its narrowest point, and are only prevented from mingling their waters by a
narrow isthmus or tongue of land a few hundred yards m width, these liar
hours are not required by us, because there are superior positions elsewhere, and
because of their torrid and insupportable climate m the summer. At the same
time it is undesirable that any foreign flag should be planted in either of them
or that any question, save of British ownership, should arise, fortunately
this question is one that admits of easy solution Elphinstone Inlet has
already once been in British occupation. The plinth of the former leiegraph
Station on a small island in the interior of the Khor is still standing . and
flip cnhle itself was taken in former days from Malcolm Inlet across the
narrow Isthmus that we have described. In Lord George Hamilton’s despatch
No 4, (Secret), dated 27th February 1903, we received permission to re-occi py
Hie old Telegraph Station at a suitable opportunity. It seems to us that the
best wav of effecting this re-occupation and of preventing the contingency
of foreign rivalry would be to erect a flagstaff on the isthmus that commands
tbetvro harbours, and also on Telegraph Island The posts will be put up
unobtrusively, and the action is likely not only not to attract attention, hut in
»U probability to remain undiscovered for a long time, so rarely are these
waters visited by any but British vessels and so infrequently even by these
We believe that we should have no difficulty in arranging with the local
tri bcs-who consist only of a few miserable communities of fishermen, occu^y-
in" tiny villages in the inner recesses of the coves, and acknowledging no
or master-to lake care of the flagstatfs, and occasionally, or when required, to
hoist a flag upon them. We would propose, as recommended by the Admiral
in his letter to us, to take similar action in planting a flagstaff on Sheep
Island, which constitutes the outer protection of Khor Kaw i.
6 In their tour of the Husandim promontory, the Viceroy and the N aval
Commander-in-Ohief further considered the desirability of placing a haht-house
on some suitable site at the extremity of the pemnsma, both in the mteiests
of navigation, n hich is compelled to avoid the neighbouring channels except
bydatlight, and in order still further to emphasise onr hold oyer he
liusandim harbours and islands. This light might he placed uln i on tie