Page 293 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter XIV. 2G3

3. In conclusion I would say that so porsirtent aro the rumours that Quarantine has all
along, and will ho in fuluro, used ns a wonpon hy tho Turks to strengthen their hold on I'ao
and hy other nations to hamper tho trad* of the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia which is
altogether British that I have felt it my duty to bring the maltor to Ilis Excellency's notice.

No. 1 (Confidential), dated 10th January 1S98.
From—Captain L. A. FonnEs, Assistant Political Ago at, Basrah,
To—The Political Resident in Tuikish Arabia.
I have the honour lo make a brief confidential report on the subject of Quarantine, and tho
manner in which it has generally been carried out in the port of .llasrah sineo its first imposi­
tion on the 9th October 1890, for the information of yourself and that of Ilis Excellency tho
Ambassador if you should deem its contents of sufficient importance.
From the dale above mentioned up to the present time many orders, sometimes with brief
intervals between them, have been issued. At first 10 days’ quaratino was imposed ou all
arrivals from India and the Persian ports of tho Persian Gulf, while all passengers anil mcr-
chnndiso arriving from Muhammarah were to he repelled. The latter part of his order was
modified on tho 8th January 1897 to 10 days’ quarantine.
On the 14th January 1897 a Notification was received directing that ships arriving with
suspicious eases of plaguo’would he repelled pending the establishment of a lazeratc at Pao. It
was also notified that arrivals from Mnskat and Bahrein would be subjected to 10 day’s1 quaran­
tine. The entry of Shiah pilgrims and corpses arriving from India was prohibited by a
Notification received on 29th January 1897. This prohibition was extended to Persia on the
11 tli February 1397, while the period of time to be spent in quarantine at Basrah was increased
to 15 days on ariivals from India.
In the beginning of July 1S97 the period of quarantine was reduced to 5 days on arrivals
from all Persian Gulf ports and Muhairunnr.ih and the prohibition against entering Basrah hy
land from l’crtia was removed. At the end of July a Notification was received directing the
removal of qua* an line against these ports and granting permission to the entry of pilgrims and
corpses from Persia. But 15 days’quarantine was still maintained against India. Ilowevor
on the 5th August this period was reduced to It) days which has been maintained up to tho
present time.
These constant, and rapid changes are naturally very objectionable: they almost appear
in some cases to he the result of caprice rather than of any consideration of circumstances or
requirements lo ensure the safety from plague of the Turkish Dominions, and in other cases it
is difficult to refrain from drawing the inference that they havo been prompted by reasons of a
political or financial nature.
I maybe permitted to cite an instance, among others, of an order in which the la*t
mentioned reasons might, on tho faco of it, be regarded as mainly having aided in its publi­
cation.
When quarantine was wholly removed on arrivals from Muhammarah which is only 20
miles from Basrah the 15 days’ quarantine against India was still maintained, no consideration
apparently being given to tiie duration of the voyage from. Iudia to Basrah which is generally
performed in 10 or 12 days hy the mail steamer-. Consequently all passcogeis for Basrah
disembark now at Muhammarah and proceed up the river by boat or by land.
In the same connection I would here remark that although there is no quarantine against
Muhammarah a fee of 10 piastres is still collected from every passenger on board tho river
steamer Molamir which plus between Ahwaz and Basrah and which obtains pratique imme­
diately on anivul.
1 refer to these instances only with tho view of exhibiting how far quarantine in Basrah
is employed for the sanit ary purpose for which it is ostensibly employed, and how far in
addition for other purposes.
Bnsiah is considered, and perhaps rightly, one of the most important ports as regards the
prevention of the tproad of infection into the Ottoman Dominions, anc1 it is presumably for this
reason that the measures for the prevention of plague adopted by thfc Venice Sanitary Confer­
ence of 1897 have not been deemed adequate for lhe purpose, and a loDg period of detention
in quarantine is therefore ordered as a measure of special precaution.
But, it may be asked, of what use (except to collect fees and harass trade) is this pre­
caution of ten or fifteen days’ qnarautino in Basrah, when any ship from an infected port,
which has been ten days on the voyage and on which no case of plague has occurred, can land
passengers at Muhammarah, only 20 miles distant, whence they aro freo to enter Basrah hy
land or by river.
Again, the inutility of imposing so many days’ quarantine at Basrah as a preventativo
of tho importation ot plague is manifest, if native sailing craft, which aro fur move likely to
iutroducc plague than steamers, owing lo tho facility with which they can elude inspection