Page 384 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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CHAPTER VII.
Telegraphic communication with Maskat, Henjam and Bandar
Abbas, 1899-1905.°

(l) Telegraph communication opened with Maskat—Proposed extension to Bandar
Abbas.
309. On a representation from several British Indians at Maskat, rep orts were
F»«o.n.i A.Oftobcr if»9?,N«».35i*3<5s>. called by the Government of lindia from
Secret 8 , May lyoo, Noj. 107*111. the Political Agent at Maskat and the
Resident at Bushire and the Telegraph Department as regards the extension of
the telegraph to Maskat and Bandar Abbas. In submitting these reports to the
Secretary of State, the Government of India (Despatch No. 54, Secret—External,
dated 3rd May 1900), expressed the opinion that time had arrived when the
provision for telegraphic communication both with Maskat and Bandar Abbas
had become of importance.
310. The schemes which had been suggested were that the existing cable
from Karachi to Jask should be diverted and taken from Karachi to Maskat and
thence to Jask, or that a second cable should be laid between Karachi and Jask,
touching at Maskat; and, in either case, that one of the existing cables between
Jask and Bushire should be looped into Bandar Abbas, or the land-line extended
to that place from Jask.
311. The Secretary of State in reply forwarded with his Despatch No. 97, dated
6th September 1900, correspondence with
External A., February 1901, N01. 33*39,
the Foreign Office, which showed that the
project was generally approved by Her Majesty’s Government, but asked the
views of the Government of India on two suggestions, vtz., 1st that a cable
between Jask and Bandar Abbas, or at all events a temporary connection with
the latter by means of T-pieces would be preferable to a land. line, and,
secondly, that the whole scheme should be postponed to a more favourable mo­
ment. The Secretary of State subsequently telegraphed on 24th October enauir-
ing whether provision for the supply of cables should be made in the Budget
of 1901-02 and the Viceroy replied on x8th November that, on the understanding*
that Her Majesty’s Government would consent to bear half the cost, provision
might be made for a cable to Maskat and for a cable or land line from Bandar
Abbas to Jask.
213. The Government of India replied to the Secretary of State’s Despatch No.
97, dated 6th September, as follows (No. 30-External, dated 31st January 1901):—
“ We are strongly in favour of early action, and we gather from Sir A. Godley's letter of
the 18th December last that this view is shared by Your Lordship. With reference td
Sir John Ardagh's reasons for postponement, we desire to observe that it is precisely when
we are busily engaged in China or elsewhere, and may be supposed in consequence to be
devoting less attention to our interests in other portions of the world, that rival powers, and
notably Russia, are inclined to push forward j. and that the apparent absorption of other
powers in the same or in similar undertakings, so far from being a guarantee that their
energies will be relaxed elsewhere, is not infrequently the signal tor simultaneous activity
on their part in unsuspected quarters. We see therefore no sufficient ground for abating
our urgent interest in the political outlook of the Persian Gulf, and we are of opinion that
these projects should be proceeded with, with as little delay as possible.”
213. The Home Treasury declined to share the cost of the proposed cables
and adhered to its reasons for postponement?
Seeret B., Juoeigor, Noa. 106*107.
(Secretary of State’s telegram dated 12th
.March 1901). The Government of India were equally disinclined to pay the
whole cost of the scheme, they therefore proposed to proceed at once at the cost,
of the Indian revenues with the more important half of the scheme, cable from
Jask to Maskat, leaving the extension to Bandar Abbas for future consideration
(telegram from the Viceroy to the Secretary of State, dated 20th March 1901).
214. The Secretary of State’s sanction was obtained to the necessary
expenditure and assurance of assistance received from the Sultan for landing the
cable. It was opened for traffic in November 1901. _
Chapter II of the Persian Coast and•
/ ; */V*/5rd!ihe prevL0U5 hi5,0f7 ol Bandar Abbas and Henjam ice
Jilandt Frftts, 1954-1908, paragraphs 84-185.