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He is now proceeding to Busrch where it is probable he will remain some daysi and
will perhaps find time to make enquiries on the spot.
If this be accomplished, a further survey of the Shat-ul-Arab will be wholly un­
necessary.

No. 1301.387, dated on board II. M.’s S. Hugh Rost, off Bahrein, 14th December 1871.
From—Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Pklly, C-S.I., Her Britannic Majesty’s Political Resident
in the Persian Gulf,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay. Political Department.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Resolution of Government as per
margin, communicating to me a call from the
Iso. 4600, dated 27th September 1871.
Government of India for my opinion as to the
necessity for further surveys in the waters of the Persian Gulf.
a. The question seems to me to be a nautical and professional one. Any opinion I
may have arrived at on it will be accepted as that of a landsman,, whose duties, however,
have required his frequent cruising in most parts of the Gulf during a period of between
nine aud ten years.
3. The question further appears to me regardablc from two points of view :—
1st.—That of complete and scientific accuracy, and
andly.—That of the practical requirements of navigation at the present time.
4. Regarded from the first point of view, a survey cannot, of epurse. be too accurate
or complete; and there are doubtless some areas of water particularly on the Arabian side'
of the Gulf, which have not been completely surveyed, and where the navigation is more
than ordinarily intricate. But these areas are away from the ordinary track of vessels, and
1 should not be prepared to advise further outlay on the survey in detail so long as other
surveys of more immediately practical necessity remain uncompleted, and many of this
latter character appear to be indicated in the abie and exhaustive despatch of Mr. Clement
Markham, dated the 18th of February 1871.
5. Regarding the question from the second point of view, via., that of the practical
requirements of nav.gation at the present lime, both observation and hearsay lead me. to
consider that the present surveys are sufficiently, and indeed remarkably, accurate in their
soundings, delineation of coast lmes, and cross-bearings. This opinion applies especially to
the l^ter charts revised by Commancer C. G. Constable and Lieutenant A. VV. Stifle.
6. At the same time there arc a few points to which, if it be the intention of Govern-
mcr t*to establish a Marine Survey Department, I would, under correction, direct attention.
And these points I will now briefly enumerate :—
is/.—There is reported to be a sunken rock off Ras Noo at the entrance of the
Gwadur Bay, and on which one or more vessels have touched : the existence or position of
tjiis rock or shoal should. 1 think, be certainly determined as the governmental and mail
steamers have constant need for parsing close to it.
andly.—Some navigators allege that certain shoal patches off the coast in the neigh­
bourhood of Koh-Mobareck are not accurately laid down. I myself incline to doubt
whether these allegations are well founded, but it might prove satisfactory to determine the
point.
jrdly.—I have heard it stated that there is a shoal patch off the western epd of the
island of Larrack, and which is not laid down, but I am uncertain as to whether this patch
does or does not exist.
jthly*—The existence of two shoal patches marked on the chart on the starboard as
you enter the Angaum Sound from the eastward have, I believe, been questioned. 1
myself incline to think that these patches are accurately laid down, but as the Angm 11
Sound is likely to be increasingly used, it would be advisable to dispose definitively of the
question.
5thly.—rIt is reported that the Bassidore bank off the western end of the island of
Kishm is silling up, and that soundings smaller than any marked on the chart have been
struck on this bank. It seems probable that a mud bank situate like that of Bassidore
would be liable to silt, and it might be well to revise the present soundings.
6tkly.—The shoal known as the Pollior Shoal marked on the chart about midway
between the island of Froor and Ras Boostanah should, I think, be resurveyed in detail,
and a separate chart be made of it. The masters of native craft say they have no know­
ledge of this shoal. Some of our own navigators assert that the shoal has sufficient water
on it for steamers of considerable draught to cross \i. In my opinion the shoal indubit
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