Page 101 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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plies iu tho Hcil 8ea .arc furnished from Suez.
The Musandim light would bo actually iu sight
of Bunder Abbas. I doubt the dungcr: steamers
pass by daily, and Micro are our gun-boats. As
to the relative sites, tho Quoin Islands are low,
and might he difficult of access. The Navy and
Mercantile Marino favour Musandim Island; it
would also he a little safer. On political grounds,
tho mainland is favoured.
Mail steamers make Musandim at night going !
up; in the daytime coming down. No tramp
i
stoamer dares to approach Musandim at night.
;
The nautical reasons why a light is very neces­ I
sary arc that it is often very thick and foggy at
the entrance to the Gulf, where the water is very
deep, and vessels cannot run iuto soundings.
Next, a light is badly needed on one of the
islands between Lingah and Bushirc. Alternative
sites are (a) Has A1 Mutaf, (6) Sheikh Shuaib,
(c) Keis, (d) Farur. Taking first Farur, it is
466 feet high, with a peculiar outline, having a
small peak in the middle. Sailors say they cun
make it out in the thickest weather. Sheikh
Shuaib and Has A1 Mutaf can generally be located
by soundings. Opinion seems to be in favour of
Keis, because it is a sufficient distauce from
Keis.
Bushire, and because a good course can be shaped
thence, up or down.
Thirdly, a light is required on Kubbar Island,
south of Koweit, for making Koweit Harbour.
The little beacon on tlic mainland at Has A1 Arz
is very insufficient. All authorities, nautical and
Kubbar sland. otherwise, arc in favour of Kubbar Island, which
is the property of the Sheikh of Koweit, and
easily supplied.
As to Bahrein, there is an outer buoy, but it is
difficult to make. Sailors would like to see this
Lightship at Bahrein. buoy replaced by a lightship. The landing is
bad, and very shallow for a long distance.
Captain Pridcaux, the Political Agent, has worked
out some sort of scheme by which it might be
improved greatly at a moderate cost, I think by
reclamation of part of the foreshore. This might
be a cheap and usoful method of creating addi­
tional interests. Bahrein trade is very promising,
hut better facilities arc trreatly needed. I think
it was here that the “Viceroy of India” was
stuck on a roek for an hour or two, an incident
which passed unrecorded.

[1098] 2 C