"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٦‎٤‎٩] (١٢٦٢/١١٦٦)

2649
Anchor was weighed at 6-30 a. m . on the morning of the 1st Decern- Khor Musa.
ber, the tide being then nearly fnll^ and the " Sphinx n and Lawrence 33
proceeded to enter Khor Musa; but there was some delay in finding the
channel. When this difficulty had been surmounted, the ships ran at full
steam up Khor Musa to its junction with Khor Qanaqeh^ and thence for
a short distance up the Khor Qanaqeh branch. In the evening the
a Lawrence" and a Sphinx ^ rejoined the squadron at a rendezvous in
latitude 29° 48' north and longitude 49° 8' east.
As a result of these explorations Major Burton, Vice-Consul at Kesults of
Muhammareh^ was ordered to investigate the land approaches to Khor inB P ectlon *
Musa, and subsequently despatches were addressed by the Government of
India to His Majesty's Government in which the extreme importance
of both inlets was explained. In that relating to Khor ■'Abdullah the
desirability of steps being taken to secure the withdrawal of the Turks
from Bubiyan Island was strongly emphasized.
No opportunity occurred for a meeting between the Viceroy and the Correspon-
Shaikh of Muhammareh in the territories of the latter, and it was dence with
considered inexpedient to arrange for an interview elsewhere. Shaikh the Shaikh o£
Khaz'al however sent Lord Curzon a very courteous letter by the hand
of Major Burton, Vice-Consul at Muhammareh, to which the Viceroy n
replied in a similar tone.
The visit to Bushehr, 2nd and 3ra December.
Bilshehr, which was reached on the morning of the 2nd December, Arrival at
was the scene of an incident by which the success and completeness of the Buahehr.
Viceroy's tour were to some extent marred. In order that the circum
stances may be understood, it is necessary to explain the arrangements
which had been made with the Persian Government for the Viceroy's visit
to the ports of the Persian coast.
The subject was first broached at Tehran in a note which Sir Preliminary
A. Hardinge, the British Minister, addressed on the 26th of September arrange-
1903 to the Mushir-ud-Dauleh, the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs ; ^® at p er ^^
in this note the character and object of Lord Curzon s intended cruise Q 0lir t t
were described, and it was suggested that receptions suitable to the
Viceroy's rank should be arranged by the Persian Government at the
places in Persian territory where he might touch. The Persian Govern
ment received the suggestion favourably, and about the 19th of
October the A'la-ud-Dauleh, at the time Governor-General of Fars
was selected to welcome the Viceroy at Bandar 'Abbas on behalf of his
royal master. On the 22nd of October Sir A. Hardinge informed the
Viceroy of the detailed arrangements which he wished to propose to
the Persian Government, and on the 25th of October Lord Curzon
expressed his entire approval of Sir A. Hardinge's programme, which the
Persian authorities also accepted without demur.
In view of this fact, and of the difficulties which subsequently arose, it
Is advisable that the principal items of the original programme should be