مجموعة ٥٩/٣٠ "الخليج الفارسي. تأسيس البحرية الفارسية، إلخ" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٥] (٦٢٤/٢١٠)

10V
Pt»rei*n QoTdronbnt gone to tfta expen. o of huiing tvfo
gunboat b built ior thonu Tho raison d^tre of the lour motor
ree^ela ie unddratandaole. $ 1th a long co^tt line - pnrta of
it even now not under control, md - owing to exorbitant cuatoae
rues - a brisk amugtling trade to contend 4th, some fonu of
iLOtor patrol vessel, based on the various iancll ports up end down
the oooat, is a necessity* But the tvo guaboatc would appear
to be more or lea: 2 of & luxury, built merely lor tha purpotj e ot
"snoring the Hag*, and that thay will keep holly to Persian
waters aeama to me - at the l#»*§t - unlikely.
Iho poasibility of aggressions oy tho Persian Kavy on
7
tho Arabian coaet is dt?*lt with In ,iodd 1 s despatch Ko,386 of
B£rd July 19?>1. In 18b7 - ra ilr. :?odd pointe out - the Persian
Govurniiiunt gained possession of the ialand of ; irri by seiiing
It end presenting iiia Majesty* s Government with p Xait acco.nll *
It ia not beyond all possibility that they might try to repeat
this oour de mein on tamb or Abu dust- for insiijncu, and though
doubtless they would not on this occasion be equally successful
the attempt would raiao a very serious situation, Apert too ilan
actual uttompts to sei&e territory, minor sets of aggression on
outlying Arab islands vould always be possible.
8. The opinions expressed by Hr* Itodd in paragraphs Z and
4 of his despatch would appsar to curry considerable weight.
It may be impractioj ole to prevent rerai* n gun-boftto visiting
Arablao waters, but if t ey do make such visits thun it would
seem roout desirable thtit they nhould do uo on t eir ' lawful
oocasions”, like the airships of othor nfttiong, but under some
form ox' control such as previous permission or notice being
applied for. If this could be arranged the usual oo xteaies
in the form of salutes, interchange of visits and mutual
hospitality between the local Eulers and thg ^.tioal Agents
and the Commanders of gunboats, would tak* place. His Majesty's
U^Ty woulfl, X * sur., U* h.ppy to oo-op.rats, ww) tnu* » ;ri«.v>xy
ptmosphere would be created ^hidh woul< ? be flattering to the
Persian/