Page 285 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

3*
CHAPTER VII.
Bushire Residency Steamers.
The Hugh Rose. The Sphinx commissioned for the Persian Gulf. The R.I.M. Lawrence
especially built for the Residency.

54. Up to October 1876 an Indian Government steamer was attached to
the Bushire Residency. In April 1874
Political A., June l8Sl, Nos. 440*449.
application was made to replace the Hugh
Rose, the last of the Residency steamers, by a vessel of a superior class. The
only mention about its withdrawal that can be found in the records is contained
in the Gulf Administration Report of the Persian Gulf for 1876*77, in paragraph
30 of which it is stated :—
“The Residency steamer was withdrawn in October 1876. A steam cutter has since
been placed at the disposal of the Residency for quarantine duties in connection with the
plague in Mesopotamia.”
55. In April 1S77 Colonel Prideaux asked fora vessel to be sent to Bushire
to be employed in quarantine duties. The
General A., September 1877, Nos. 310*351.
Indian Government steamer Dalhousie was
sent on 8th August 1877, the Dalhousie being required for the transport of troops,
left Bushire for Bombay.
56. In January 1898 the Political Resident (Colonel Ross) represented
the necessity for a special despatch vessel being attached to his Residency to
save him being dependent on Royal Navy vessels when occasion required him to
take trips by sea to places under his political control. He reported the request
three years after, adding that—
“ by substituting a suitable despatch vessel, not subject to withdrawal, for one of the
three gun vessels told off for the Persian Gulf, it would in all respects be advantageous to the
interests of Government as well as to the naval service.”
His representations were supported in the Government of India’s despatch to
the Secretary of State of 27th May 1881, which proposed that the cost of the vessel
(about £25,000) should be met by the withdrawal from the Indian station of
one of Her Majesty’s gun-boats, a saving of about £ 5,000 a year being effected
by the measure.
57. The Home Government asked for particulars as to the nature of the duties
Political A., June i8Si, Nos. 440*449. to be performed by the proposed despatch
Political A., January 1SS2. Nos. 204 207. vessel and whether they would be strictly
non-combatant; and in reply the Government of India, after having consulted
Colonel Ross, explained what the vessel’s duties would be and said that they
would be strictly non-combatant. It was suggested, however, that she should carry
small swivel guns for saluting purposes and one gun for signalling (despatch
No. 3 Political, dated the 9th January 1882).
58. In reply, the Government of India were told that His Majesty's Ship
Sphinx, especially constructed for service
A., Political E., January 1884, Nos. 318*326.
in the Gulf, was about to be despatched
there for the purpose.
59. The Government of India, however, in their despatch No. 15 Political,
dated 29th January 1884, pointed out that the provision of an improved class of
gun-boat for naval duties in the Gulf did not help Colonel Ross in what he wanted,
which was a purely non-combatant despatch vessel to be at his disposal when
he had to move about the Gulf.
60. In a despatch from the Secretary of State, His Lordship concurred in
the opinion expressed by the Government of India that the gun-boat Sphinx,
recently constructed for service in the Persian Gulf, did not render the provision
of a despatch vessel unnecessary. The Government of India were requested to
prepare designs of the vessel required, when steps would be taken to construct
the vessel in England.
Plans for the new despatch vessel were duly prepared and approved by
Colonel Ross.