Page 47 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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PART II—CHAPTER XI.
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enterprise which originally gave Zanzibar commercial importance, and which,
perhaps, was much more valuable to Muscat than a mere lump sum of
money.
11. Iam credibly informed that beyond the above causes Muscat is further
undermined by her own impolitic levy of high duties, and that the so-called
piratical port of Soor to the southward of Muscat is often preferred by traders on
account of its greater freedom of trade.
12. As regards Bunder Abbas, there is no doubt its geographical position is
very favourable; but there is as little doubt that steamers now touching there are
subjected to incredible inconvenience: the roadstead is quite open, the anchorage
distant, and the beach frequently lashed by a heavy surf. The steamer I was
aboard of three days ago had nearly one thousand packages for Bunder Abbas ;
only two boats of about eight tons each were to be found : these would not land
goods on account of the surf. Had it not been for the accidental anchoring of
a bugla the steamer would have had to carry on her freight to Bushire, or else to
have touched at some nearer port at the risk of her insurance : it is obvious that
some convenient point at the south of the gulf is very desirable as an entrepot.
The island of Ormuz and Enjam, Tomb and Surdy, the inlets of Bassidore and
Kossab, all possess certain advantages. Bassidore we hold under our own flag,
and I hope shall continue to hold at all events until we can sec our way to some­
thing better; but I am of opinion that the selection of the point of entrepot
should not in the first instance come from the Political Department. It is the
shippers and steam companies who suffer the most immediate inconvenience; let
them seek and point out the remedy. Let us then see whether we cannot com­
bine the convenience of the Telegraph Department with that of trade; but that
if the trade continue to increase something must and will be done in the shape of
forming an entrepot I feel pretty certain: at present the freight brought to
Bunder Abbas by steamers is, l believe, about one-half that brought to Bushire,
the freight taken from thence to India might be one-seventh that taken from
Bushire.
13. In what I have written concerning the possibility of a direct steam line
with the gulf and concerning an entrepot, l have written purely for the in­
formation of Government. Any proposition for the change should,! think, arise
from those most interested in it, the traders and the steam company.
14. I cannot conclude this report without allusion to the highly favourable
effects of telegraphic communication upon the trade of this port. The Persian
merchants thoroughly appreciate the telegraph, and are eager to avail themselves
of it. If the submarine line be, as I fully think it will, permanently successful,
it will have the best effects upon th? trade of the gulf. The interest evinced by
the Persian traders may in the end prove useful to us ; for it may in the end
facilitate the construction of an alternative land line from Gaudel to Cape Jask,
Bunder Abbas, Bushire, and Fao; and I venture to think that if the line for the
Persian Gulf is to become the principal channel of telegraphic communication
between England and India, an alternative line, such as 1 suggest, might be found
of great importance: at the same time much jealousy would have to be met, and
we could not, I think, be too careful in avoiding all questions of empire and
territory.

Extract, paragraphs / to 5, from a letter from the Political Resident, Persian
Gut/, No. 5, dated the lath May i860.
1. It is agreeable to me to submit that all is as quiet in the Gulf as usual
and trade seems thriving.
2. Nevertheless, at the hazard of being held disproportionately to intrude
my local charge on the imperial care of Government, I would venture most
respectfully to submit that these regions cannot with safety be any longer regard­
ed as they were in years gone past. When your interests here were first repre­
sented, your frontier was behind Sinde and the Punjab; the influences of
European Government had scarcely shown themselves in Central Asia; steam
was unknown; and our trade was by native craft on our coasts, or between these
and England by our own square-rigged vessels. Your interests here were
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