Page 26 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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stances, they recommended that no action should
be tnkon beyond merely leaving the flagstaff on
Telegraph Island where it was. No decision has
yet boon arrived at on this recommendation.
The flagstaff’s on Sheep Island and Maklah
Isthmus wore actually removed in October 1005.
In October 1007 an Inter-Departmental Com­
mittee, consisting of three delegates from the
Admiralty and representatives of the Foreign
Office and India Office, was convened to report
on the feasibility of the Germans securing an
outlet for the Bagdad llailwny on the Persian
Gulf independently of British co-operation.
The Committee formed the opinion that such a
consummation was feasible, and they concluded
their Report in the following terms:—
*' We do not, however, feel confident that we possess the
means absolutely to debar Germany from ucquiting an
nutlet on tlio Gull ; and this outlet, though ut lintl com­
mercial, might eventually be transformed into a strategic,
base, but by steps so gradual and clandestine as to render
protests difficult or impracticable. In these circumstances
wu cannot hut express the opinion that it is in the highest
degree desirable to come to tonus with the promoters of
the llailwny.
" Finally, we would advocate that all steps which His
Majesty's Government limy consider feasible should be
taken to consolidate the advantages we already jkississ at
the entrance to the Persian Gulf, notably at Musandiui
Peninsula (where the harbour accommodation and water
supply arc adequate) and at the Islands of Ki.slun and
llenjam.”

The Admiralty stated, in a letter dated the
9th November, 1907, that “their Lordships con­
cur in the Report of the Committee, and they
consider that, from a naval standpoint, it is most
desirable that effect should bo given at once to
the Committee’s particular recommendations re­
lating to the steps to be taken by llis Majesty’s
Government in the establishment of a definite
position .... at the entrance to the Persian
Gulf.”
The Government of India suggested in their
despatch of the 21st January, 1904, that it might
be found desirable to crcet a lighthouse on
Musandim Peninsula.
Further correspondence on the subject took
place in the course of the year, and was for­
warded to the Foreign Office in the Lidia Office
letter of the 29th September, 1901. It appeared
that the Government of India were of opinion