Coll 30/111 'British Naval Stations in: Establishments at Khor Quwai and Bahrain. Evacuation of Henjam and Basidu.' [‎140r] (284/1154)

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PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
DEVELOPMENT SINCE
THE CURZON TOUR
THE NAVAL CHANGES
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES
Sir,—The announcement in The Times of
April 3 that the British naval stations in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. are being transferred from the
Persian to the Arabian side, and the article on
Hanjam and Basidu are interesting as showing
the developments in that region since the late
Lord Curzon made his tour there in November,
1903. At that time the German Baghdad rail
way, with a terminus at Koweit, and the
extension of a Russian railway through Persia
to Charbar were envisaged, and some people
actually approved the ideas on the ground
apparently that one would offset the other.
Events in 1911 showed that this would not have
been the case, and it was not realized that, had
the schemes been carried out, we should have
been forced to maintain, at great expense, a
strong squadron all the year round in these
torrid waters to counterbalance Russian and
German squadrons.
Persia at the time was rather in a state of
suspended animation, but much’ under Russian
influence, and our control on the Arabian coast
was weak, as the Turks were not at the time
enterprising. Lord Curzon had devoted much
attention to the problems of the Gulf, and during
his tour steps were taken to consolidate our
position there and to secure our control on the
Arabian coast. The agencies at Bahrein and
Koweit were improved, and his visit to the latter
place, and a meeting there with the late Mr.
Reynolds, Mr. d’Arcy’s oil engineer, who was
on his way to England, led to his return to
examine the Maidan-i-Naptura area, and the
discovery of the Anglo-Persian oilfields.
Lord Curzon also held a durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). off the Pirate
Coast for the Trucial Chiefs in H.M.S. Argonaut,
which was specially diverted for the purpose
on her way home from China. She was a long
ship, with four genuine funnels, not faked, as a
correspondent suggested some time ago, and no
doubt duly impressed the people in the Gult,
She could not enter Muscat harbour.
The telegraph station on Hanjam Island was
reopened to secure communication with Bandar
Abbas, where for some time, owing to French
and Russian opposition, we could not even land
a cable. Basidu or Barsidore, on Qishm Island,
had been a small plot of British territory since
the Persian expedition of 1856, when it was
used as a hospital and naval station, and our
rights there were asserted. Recently they wete
challenged by one of the new Persian sloops,
but were duly recognized.
It commands the western entrance to the
Clarence Straits between Qishm and the main
land, as Hanjam does the eastern, and the
anchorage in these Straits was then held to be
important. Of course, these places are hot -
the sea water at times is over 93deg. F. but they
are not as bad as others. They have served their
purpose, and Hanjam, with its wireless, has been
the chief naval and shipping station for years.
Lying at the narrowest points of the Straits or
Ormuz, it enables a close watch to be kept on
traffic.
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Uigtithouses were built on Qishm and Abu
Musa, which have greatly facilitated navigation
in the Gulf, and have probably helped the air
liners also. The improved condition in the gulf
resulting from Lord Curzon’s reforms was of
material assistance in the expedition to Irak
during the Great War.
The trouble about the air route in Persia was
no doubt due mainly to the revival of Persian
nationalism under the present Pahlavi Shah,
but they naturally wished to see the line passing
through their centres of population, Ispahan,
Shiraz, Kerman, and not above the barren
shores of the Gulf. Some years ago, at a lecture
in the Central Asian Society, it was suggested
that the route by Seistan and Quetta might be
considered, or failing this, the present route on
the Arabian coast, which was under British
influence. At the time this was not favoured,
as it was hoped that the difficulties with the
Persian Government might be surmounted.
Now with an active Persia and a strong Saudi
Arab rule in Arabia things will require careful
handling in the Gulf. Bahrein is, of course,
pleasanter, and recent developments have made
it more important, but it is very close to the
Arabian coast, and it is not so well situated for
controlling traffic in the Gulf. It might be well
to maintain our rights in the old stations, even
though they are not much used, in case it is ever
necessary to reoccupy them. It is easy to pul
down but not so easy to build up.
Yours faithfully,
LOUIS DANE.
24, Onslow Gardens, S.W.7, April 5,
the mons dispatch