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Telegram P., dated the 15th March 1899.
From—Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, London,
To—His Bxccllency the Viceroy, Calcutta.
O Conor transmits an extract from Constantinople paper reporting intention of Russia
to take possession of Kishnt at the entrance of Persian Gulf. Are the barracks at Bassidorc
still in charge of British officials, and under what title was Kislun occupied by us ?
265-A. The reply was :—
Telegram, P., No. # E.A., dated the 18th March 1899.
From—His Excellency the Viceroy, Calcutta,
To—Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for India, London.
Please refer to your Foreign Secret telegram, 15th March. Our occupation of
Kishm appears to have begun in 1820 under verbal* grant from Sultan Saiyid Saeed of
Maskat, to whom island then belonged, tide my Persia, Volume II, page 423. This was
confirmed by agreement with his son and successor Sultan Thowcynee in 1864, see
Aitchison, Volume XI, page 75. in spite of fact that Kishm had been taken in 1852 by Per
sia and leased in 1855 to Maskat, sec Aitchison, Volume X, page loo, and Appendix 45,
The Persians took no exception to our occupation either when they leased Kishm to
Maskat in 1855 and again in 1868, or when they forcibly terminated lease in latter year,
see our Foreign Office Proceedings, Political A., August 1880, No. 112, and onwards.
The Government buildings at Bassidorc are in charge of a coal agent who is a paid
British Indian servant, and has remained continuously in Bassidore since troops were
withdrawn in 1883. Concerning alleged Russian designs upon Kishm, please refer to
my Persia, Volume II, poge 413, fifteenth line.
Count MouraviefT conttadicted the report declaring that Russia did not intend to add
to the burden of outlying stations or ports. The Sadr Azam also denied the report.
(il) Question of further repairs to the Government buildings and improving the Rifle
Range at Bassidore.
266. In 1892 Rs, 42-14-4 were spent for
External B., March 1890, Nos 14*16.
repairs of the buildings at Bassidore.
The question of repairing these buildings was raised by the Resident again
in 1900. The Government of India asked
External A., August 1900, Nos. 63*66.
him to report on the existing state of the
buildings and to state whether, in his opinion, it was desirable, on political
grounds, to prevent them from falling entirely into ruin and as to whether this
could be done at a small outlay.
267. The following was the report sub
Secret E., August 1901, Nos. 34*49.
mitted by the Resident:—
No. 41, dated Bushire, the 23rd February 1901.
From—Lieutbmant-Colonel C. A. Kemball, Officiating Political Residsnt in the Persian
Gulf,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
I have the honour to invite a reference to your letter No. 1268-E.A., dated 19th June
Iqoo, regarding the Government buildings at Bassidore.
2. Lieutenant Hunt has recently visited Bassidore and has forwarded to me the
following information on the subject
The Government buildings at Bassidore are as follows
(1) Dwelling-house by pier, two storied with verandahs. This house is known as
Major Smith’s house. It is in a somewhat better condition than the other buildings at
Bassidore, but two of the verandahs have fallen, and the north wall is partly ruined and is
rapidly giving way. The beams ot the ceiling of the lower floor are rotting and some
have given way.
Lieutenant Hunt states it as his opinion that this house could be repaired, but owing to
the poor quality of the original construction and owing to the site which is on a small cliff
some 15 or 20 feet above the sea being threatened by the sea which is gradually under
mining the cliff, he thinks that repairs to this house should not be undertaken.
(2) Workshop. The walls are standing, but the roof has completely fallen in. It
contains an old turning lathe and the remains of a forge.
• Tha grant appears to have been a written one, tee Ptrsian Gulf Pritis, i8oi-iSsj, paragraphs 936*239.
k