Page 294 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

264 Part III.
at ports of departure and in many oilier ways, enter the Shattul Arab and moor here, there
ami everywhere, waiting for a favourable breeze to carry them up to Muliamuiarah of
Basrah.
The strongest reasons exist against the establishment of a quarantine station at Fao, at
the mouth of the Shattul Arab, and the 13iilisli Delegatus at the Venice Sanitary Confcrenco
1897 pointed out in detail the grave objections to such an arrangement. A rcforonco to page G
of thoir report to Lord Salisbury is invited.
During the date season of 1S97 Indian failing vessels were hailed at Fao by 1 he Com­
mander or the Turkish Guard-ship which was stationed there and the quarantine official at that
port was pleased to give each vessel which was detained (fomo escaped detention by ontcring
the liver at nigbt) a small yellow llag with directions to proceed up to Basrah, This course
was strongly objected to and was eventually abandoned through representations made to Con­
stantinople. The small yellow flag, so far as I have had opportunity to ascertain was thrown
aside, and tho vessels wont to Muhammarah or wherever they wished. The pretext of bestow­
ing a quarantine llag was apparently employed by tho Turkish authoiilics to establish a right to
hail and detain all vessels entering the Shattul Arab.
I would also desire to make a few remarks on tho manner in which quarantine has been
and is being carriod out. in Basrah. You arc already aware from my predecessor’s lotter
No. -155, dated the 7th June 1S97 of the unsuitability and seriouc defects of tho site, accommo­
dation and sanitary arrangements of the lazaret in which persons undergoing quarantine are
required to remain. Since the dato of that letter nothing I may say has been done to impr ove
the lazaret in any of these respects. I am given to understand that apparatus and appliances
for disinfecliug arc primitive and uufit to c<-pc with any emergency.
It would appear that segregation and hospital accommodation also are matters to which
the officials of the Sanitary Board pay no attention and attach no importance, for the former
is not attempted and the latter does exist. Instances might be given of fatal results ensuing
in cases of persons undergoing quarantine while iu a state of ill-health owing to defective and
irrational arrangements aud orders.
The trade up tbe Persian Gulf and up the Tigris is practically engrossed by England and
India, a very small portion only boing under any other flag, and it is the general opiniou of tho
merchants that jealousy of this trade, both on tho part of Turkey and perhaps one or two
other nations, is at tho bottom of tho iulliction of troublesome and unnecessary quarantine
rules and fees, by means of their larger or more influential representation on the Sanitary
Council.
Thcro can be no doubt that the fees collected on 6lnps according to tonnage or cargo
and on passengers, produce a considerable income. In addition to these fees each snip has two
sanitary guardiaus on board, aud each cargo-boat stationed at each sido and at each hold of a
vessel which is loading or discharging cargo has one sanitary guardian. All these guardians
have to be paid for separately.
The local expenditure to be met from this considerable revenue seems to be confined to the
maintenance of a Email Sanitary establishment. No expenses arc incurred in providing pro­
per accommodation for Europeans, Asiatics aud others, for proper modem apparatus for disin­
fection and for proper hospital and medical arrangements. It would appear moreover that tho
Sanitary Board is a rich body.
The establishment of a sanitary station at Ormuz on the lines suggested by the Venice
Sanitary Conference, lb97, would unquestionably be a great boon to British shipping and
trade, which has suffered enormously from tho present quarantine system with its needlessly
long detention and excessive fees, besides insuring much moro effectively against tho spread
of iufection into Asiatic Turkey and thence into Europe.
I would request that this report may be treated a9 confidential to obviate any risk of
still further dillicultics being made to British shipping and tho withdrawal of such a small
facilities as exist at present and as can be allordcd by the local quarauliue officials without in­
fringing the rules.
44G. Tho Government of India in forwarding the above correspondence to
Hid (No.ic.) the Sccrotary of State observed:—
“ThcFC papers indicate that the quarantine arrangements at Basrah have been worked
not to much with a view to protection against plague us for political aud financial purposes.
The Assistant Politic.il Agent states that the Turkish authorities arc very desirous, for politi­
cal reasons, to establish a quarantine station at Fao instead of fo'lowing the airaugcmcnts
prescribed by the Venice Convention, which contemplated at first quarantine station m or near
the Straits of Ormuz and subsidiary stations up the Persian Gulf. As far as wo arc awaic
the Venice CoiivoiUion has not been ratified by Turkey.”
447. The Turkish Quarantine Officers at Fao proceeded to revive their
former proceedings of detaining I,,(l,ai1
External A., July 1638, Noi. 8-23.
vessels at Fao and subjecting them o
quaranfino exactly. Captain Forbes Consul at Fan-all, addressed several
strongly worded remonstrance to the Vali, hut without eil'cct.