Page 300 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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CHAPTER XI.
Steam-launches for Political Officers.

(i) Steam-launch for the Resident on the Persian Gulf.
122. In July 1S76 a steam-launch was placed at the disposal of the Resident
0—
Resident continued somehow to keep it until 1S82, when ho asked for a new one,
more suited to the place. The necessity
A., Political E., June tS8j, No*. 133-141.
for a good steam-launch at Bushire was
unquestionable. The Resident had to pay official visits on board Her Majesty’s
vessels visiting the Persian Gulf and as these vessels had to anchor several miles
from the shore, a safe sea-boat was absolutely necessary.
123. The Government of India accordingly asked the Secretary of State
to authorize Messrs. White & Co., of Cowes, to construct a life-boat pinnace,
37 or 3S feet in length, of the description supplied by them to the Admiralty and
cause it to be despatched either direct to the Persian Gulf on board the vessel
then preparing for the Gulf or to Bombay in one of Her Majesty’s ships
(despatch No. 17, dated 7th May 1883).
The Resident received the steam pinnace
External A., September i8S|, No*. 114-118.
ordered in July 1884.
124. The Resident at Baghdad at the suggestion of Mr. Robertson had
External A., Januiry «8S9. Nos. 101-103. proposed to transfer the old steam-boat
External A., Ap.-il 1885, Nos. 261-263. of Bushire to Basrah. But as the Govern­
ment of India thought that the necessity for maintaining a steam boat at Basrah
had not been proved, they decided to sell the old boat at Bushire.
125. The boat obtained in 1884 was, on account of her deteriorated con-
Enernai A.. July 1903. No*. 130-31. dition, replaced by a new one in 1903,
External a., August 1903, No. 123. constructed at the Bombay dockyard at a
cost of Rs. 24,000.
(ii) Steam-launch for the Resident at Baghdad.
126. Vide Chapter XII (xvii) of Turkish Arabia Precis, 1801 —1905.
(iii) Proposed steam-launch for the Consul at Muhammerah, 1904-05.
127. During Lord Curzon’s tour in the PersianGulf it was decided that it was
necessary to provide the Consul at Muhammerah with a light draught launch
suitable for touring on the Karun and Shat-el-Arab. Sir A. Hardinge brought the
matter to the notice of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
128. The Secretary of State for India thereupon asked for an estimate
Secret E. August 1904, Nos- 400-449 (No. 443). of the cost of providing a suitable vessel;
Secret E., January 1905, No*. l43-«57). but as the London Foreign Office suggested
that it might be possible to hire one when required, Messrs. Lynch and Co., who
had a steam-launch, were addressed on the subject, but stated that they could not
spare it for the purpose required.
129. The Government of India then proposed to build a new steam-launch
at a cost of about Rs. 54,000 in the R. L M.
Secret E, January 1905, Nos. I43-17(No. 155).
Dockyard at Bombay on the understanding
that one half of cost was met from the Imperial Treasury (despatch to the Secre­
tary of State, No. 238, dated 8th December 1904).
130. The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, however, were not satisfied
of the necessity for incurring so consider­
Secret E., June 1903, No*. 6oo-5o6.
able a capital expenditure with a consequent
annual charge for maintenance (Treasury to the Foreign Office, dated 13th March
I905)-
(iv) Suggestion to utilize the three torpedo-boats, lying at Bom .ay, for the use oi
the Consular Officers in the Gulf.
131. In his letter No. 96, dated 18th February 1905* Major Cox