"ملخص عن التدابير البحرية في الخليج العربي، ١٨٦٢-١٩٠٥" [‎٤‎٨] (٦٤/٥٦)

48
CHAPTER XII.
Surveys in the Persian Gulf from 1871.
1 32. A comprehensive account of the survey operations carried oat by the
See— Indian Navy in the Persian Gulf as well
AigL?7#r^Nof 2 Ti3 General as th > e Indian waters was . com P ile d by
(2) The Indian, Surveys, hy c. \iarkham. Mr. Cleinents Markham in i8yi (see
(3) Low's History of the Indian Navy. synopsis in Chapter I above).
I 33' The question was then being discussed as to continuing or revising
the work done by the Indian Navy. The opinions of the Political Agent in
Turkish Arabia and the Resident in the Persian Gulf were called for, through
the Bombay Government, as to the necessity of further surveys in the waters & of
the Persian Gulf. Their reports are interesting as showing what they considered
vas needed at the time, and as indicating the directions in which surveys may
General A., March 1872, Nos. 18-20. liave y 6 ? t0 be ma de 3 and are therefore
printed m extenso below :—
No. 99, dated Bagdad, 10th November 1871.
From— L ieutenant -C olonel c. H erbert , Political Agent in Turkish Arabia,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay in the Political Department.
With reference to Government Resolution No. 4606, dated 27th September, which
reached me on the 25th ultimo, I have the honor to report that, having no official connec
tion with the Persian Gulf, 1 am not in a position to offer an opinion as to the necessity of
further surveys thereof further than to state that, so far as the trade of this country is
concerned, no complaints have ever reached me from the commanders of vessels as to 'the
insufficiency of the existing charts, nor during three years I have resided in Turkish
Arabia have I heard of any accident to any vessel in consequence of such.
So far as I am informed the charts in use are considered excellent, the landmarks
and soundings being clearly and accurately laid down.
As regards this country itself, which from its historical associations its capabilitips
with reference to agricultural and commercial enterprise, and its geographical position
is of the greatest importance, there can, I think, be no doubt that it would be very desirable
to complete the survey.
The map now being compiled by Lieutenant Colhngwood will be drawn from surveys
of the two great rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris, and the intervening country, but all the
vast tracts of the province to the north and north-east, and that portion that lies between
the 1 igris and the Louristan Range, have yet to be surveyed.
1 he task of undertaking this work would, I imagine, properly appertain to the
Ottoman Government, but it is highly improbable that it will ever initiate such an
undertaking, though possible it might be proposed to it by Her Majesty's Government
with such offers of assistance in surveyors, etc., as might be deemed expedient.
As regards the Shat-ul-Arab, I would not recommend that any special expense be at
present incurred on a further survey, though, if that of the Persian Gult be undertaken
the work might (with the consent of the States on either bank, Persia and Turkey) be
extended to Busreh.
It seems probable that, in the course of comparatively few years, Koweit may become
the principal port of this country in the place of Busreh,
I imagine that if it be decided to construct a railway to connect the Persian Gulf
and the Mediterranean, Koweit will be the position chosen for the terminus on the Gulf.
But en th 'Ugh this be not so, it is not impossible that a navigable canal may be
made from Busreh 10 the head of a large creek that runs inland from the harbour of Koweit
to near Zobair, and this would complete the water communication between that harbour
and the capital, Bagdad.
The harbour 0J Koweit is said to be one of the finest in the world—to be easily
entered, and very safe, while its climate is as salubrious as that of Busreh is unhealthy.
I had a conversation on this subject some little time ago with His Excellency Midhut
Pasha, and found him fully alive to the importance of the project which had already
attracted his attenticn. ■'