Page 41 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

PART II—CHAPTER IX.
*3
CHAPTER IX.
Traffic between Karachi and Bushire and other Persian Ports,
1834-58.
With the view of obtaining more frequent communication with the Persian
Gulf that the then existing postal arrange­
Volume V—164 of'1858, page ail.
ments afforded, the Bombay Government
asked the Post Master General, Bombay, to report whether packets could be
forwarded to Bushire via Karachi by making available the native craft, which
were engaged in traffic between those parts, and the Resident in the Gulf to
report whether he could make any satisfactory arrangements with the owners of
bugalows for the conveyance of mails to Bombay via Karachi (letters dated
17th February 1858).
The Post Master General replied " that the traffic at present between Karachi
and Bushire is not of such a nature as to ensure a constant communication
between Jthose places by means of native craft,” and in support of this state­
ment forwarded a memorandum of arrivals and departures of country craft from
and to the Persian Gulf during the years 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857 and 10 months
of the year 1858, prepared by the Deputy Collector of Customs, Karachi:—

Arrivals. Departures.

Years. From Basrah, To Basrah,
From Bunder Abbas, To Bunder Abbas,
Bushire. Kishm, and Bushire. Kishm, Bassidore.
Baisidore.

*854-55 ••• 2 *7 ... ...

1855-56 ... 1 18 ... in

1856.57 ••• 44 16 4

1857-58 ••• 34 I 4

This statement shows that there was in 1854*58 very little traffic between
Karachi and Bushire. In 1856-57 sixteen vessels left Karachi for Bushire. They
were engaged in the conveyance of troops and supplies and hence afforded no
criterion of the traffic.
The Resident in the Gulf reported to the same effect as the Post Master
General (No. 136, dated aist April 1858).