‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’ [‎258r] (520/556)

assortmcni of eargc. Second. More deck cargoes. Both these if efficiently
arned out should result in big decrease probably in the region of 25 ner cent 7
“ Tl Se , re(luired from Karachi All troopship programmes
a s ^d, thereby releasing two troopships without reducing safling * Fourth
^"rto^r o Craft ^ eT riy C V -hich according D to eSmate
fourth item eoi,fri°V| 0 1 n*' A tlea f vvllh P erha P s tlle exception of the
persnectiv^of thi d h t been i lrran " ed raoutlls ago had the initiative and the
teleeram No •? TK l Ve ° ffic f S c0nce, ' ned bee “ as recommended in my
only on the system^ 8 ° aStS n ° reflectloa on aa y of tho offic ers concerned but
Telegram No. 657, dated 20th October 1917.
Prom—The Director, Royal Indian Marine, Bombay,
To—Admiralty, London.
date BasrabT Mori !’ e ? ,h ’ s jT°- f No - 1 previous to September 20th on which
fuel a^d fnrf/. fn- * P 011 " 3 ! ¥ sl P ni ^S assent to accept mixed cargoes of
would be effects WaS U °v feaslMe as P n °r to this Basrah stated economy
rbiHfw tr, ^ , d b . v carnage of cargoes in different bottoms owing to their
from KaraeWnn 3 ^ T S ° l0aded fsster ' No - 1 Carria S e of deck ^goes
month,^? steamers was practically impossible during monsoon
Deck snJo ’n 0 '7- ** 'i 08 ? 1 aad . 1 t .° bulwarks de « k s being frequently awash,
cattle P No Ta b f m \E- f! U ! lllZed f0r carr * a g a of barges, launches and
there is no m w r °V ast tr00 P shl P s programme is of doubtful value as
in force “ ArYm^ 11 ” 0 '' aCCl< i e j *’ or runa 'ng repairs. Since new programme came
storeshir^Q n™ ^ giounded on bar and is delayed. Acceleration of slow troop
arrant iad bee 1 n decide(i 0n before Monteath left England. We
tum rnn^l to ^ cceler f e as s00a Basrah could guarantee speedier
that nppof N t°A r C °- U d ” 0t be br0u obt into action before as it was decided
and if ° f dellver111 ^ r] ' ver craft at Basrah was a paramount importance
craft b Q ii? Wln n st j ai P er ® b a d taken cargoes delay would have occurred. River
arrived bem ^ owed to Basrah were carrying cargoes before Monteath
amved. My letter on these reports posted by mail.
teeter jn 0 . 9, dated 22nd October 1917.
From—A. Monteath, Esq., Bombay,
To The Director of Transport and Shipping, Ministry of Shipping, London, S. W.
sr* *- 3 - »• “ “
“ Af ter vMting all the ports including a visit to Simla I am of opinion
the hit y T rU A mg at Bomba y> tide m y report No. 1 give
Karachi * h^' Qu f l f“ ast er General, Simla, has agreed to
D,int tn b S W ° rked on same lines as Bombay and I
n r„‘ k , the same s y, ste “ ab ouI d be extended to Basrah. The
dornrWn. 7 n em K- at - Basrab w,lere by the military entirely
and detrf U t ^ bl PP ln S operations is I consider unsatisfactory
tfve and inr „ ntu f ° T ™ e tbill S 14 curtails initia-
. ^ n °fber the present inability of shipping officers
of commumcatmgdireot with each other narrows tluir Prspec-
is a r.!nnn P i l ’f tl0ns th f r P articular port. I understand there
nnnr n! ’ Sa f t0 T app0int 1 a Port Director in Basrab. This is an
appointment I consider gooa and I think Colonel Browne
evnL-p PtP 1 '? shipping experience as also his long
f. J i ' 6 ° f . Basrah shipping in particular should be considered
.si n a PP 0lntlne nt. Shipping should I think have a material
n/u Exr : ert m tiie construction and development
f Basrah I. ort otherwise I fear the mistakes of the past may be
icpeated m the future. If Bombay system can be extended to
Basrah I would recommend that all shipping operations at all
ports should be placed under the control of a capable officer with
headquarters m Bombay and free of all other duties who would
have complete control of all steamers and all shipping staffs at
ail ports and who would be accountable to Quartermaster General
m matters of policy alone. With such an officer keeping in ner-
sonal touch with all ports and with the military authorities at
looked^ 0 ^^ a ^ 0n tbe bes ^ resu ^ s f° shipping might be