Page 78 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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fairly extend to the British * sphere’ of influence;
but, in Sir E. Grey’s opinion, there is no reason
to believe that they would prove insurmountable
if on mature consideration the enterprise should
bo deemed advantageous.
“ Sir E. Groy is of opinion that the whole
question should be submitted to the Committee
of Imperial Defence, in order that His Majesty’s
Government may be in a position to decide upon
a definite lino of policy...............
“The subject of British participation in the
Bagdad li ail way may possibly be raised on the
occasion of the approaching visit of the German
Emperor to this country; and, both on this
account and for the reasons already explained, it
is dosirable that a decision on the questions
raised should not be unduly delayed.”

(i.) Bassidu.
Bassidu is situated at the western extremity
of Kishm Island, which lies parallel to the
Persian Const, from which it is separated by
Clarence Strait.
It has a good anchorage, for vessels of moderate
draught, about a third of a mile off shoro. For
landing purposes there is a low stone pier, about
80 yards in length, extending to low-water mark.
It was once a flourishing Portuguese Settle­
ment, and the ruins of the old town are still in
existence.
The British occupation appears to have begun
in 1820, under a verbal grant from Sultan Syed
Saeed of Muscat, who then exercised juris­
diction over the island. This was confirmed by India Office,
Agreement with his son and successor, Sultau March 20, 1899.
Thoweymee, in 1864. In spite of the fact that
Kishm had been taken in 1862 by Persia, and
leased in 1865 to Muscat, the Persian Government
took no exception to the British occupation of
Bassidu, either when they leased Kishm to
Muscat in 1845 [? 1855], when the lease was
renewed in 1868, or when it was forcibly
terminated in the latter yeir.
The Government of India, in their despatch
No 66 of the 2nd May, 1901, state :—
Nor*.—The India Office letters of the HOlh October, 1901,
and the 7th January, 1902, deal with the limits of British
jurisdiction at Bassidu. The India Office letter of the
10th July, 1901, deals with British Government buildings.
The Admiralty letter of the 21st March, 1902, incloses a
report on the Islands of Kishm and Hormuz.