Page 46 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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island nml ITis Majesty’s ships would prove of
value, while the commercial advantages of estab­
lishing telegraphic intercourse with the outside
world aro apparent.
"Writing in l!)Jt Sir NT. O'Coiior, who had *Jr N.^ (Jt'onur,
been consulted in regard to the steps which wore 2#’ 190-1.
in contemplation for improving the status and
position of the British Agent, replied that ho had
felt strongly for some years past that wo were
losing the opportunity of asserting our supremacy
at Bahrein, that he sincerely welcomed the pro­
posals of the Government of India, and that he
undertook that the Turkish Government should
raise no serious difficulties.
Sir Lewis Belly, writing iu 1363, strongly
advocated the establishment of n free port under
British control in the Persian Gulf. He wrote
ns follows : —
“ The case of Hormuz is a precedent for a like
station ; the interferences, incertitude, and want
of accurate knowledge of the market all round
the Gulf point to the alleviation of these evils by
the creation of n general cntrep6t at a convenient
point, where all vessels would, if they pleased tocall,
find cargo ready; whereto all boats tindingafavour­
able chance for exports from their several jurisdic­
tions could runacargo iu a few days, and whereto all
trade might converge, as circumstances admitted,
from ports subjected to suddon, hut not per­
manent, arbitrary interference.
“ My respectful suggestion to Government is,
that the formation of a port so concentrating all
our interests would do more to create and to
develop the trade of the Gulf and Bussorali line,
and would do more to keep the Government
accurately informed as to thoir relations and the
condition of commerce in the Gulf, and would
further do more to keep the maritime Arabs
quiet, and to afford an issuo for whatever capa­
bilities of trade may be possessed by Arabia, than
could all the reports, all the figured statements,
and all the amicable interviews of all the Resi­
dents and all the nutivc authorities, that ever
had, or may have, place round these waters.
“ But the port must he really free, aud all
tribes and people must know and feel it to bo
free; and that, once there, their goods and
persons aro secure and unmolested. Let tho
uuthoritit’8 of the port limit their functions to
keeping the peace, removing obstacles, enforcing