Gwadar

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BOOK NAME: Gwadar
AUTHOR: Henry Green
PUBLISHER: Superintendent Printing Press Calcutta
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 1880
The following excerpt has been taken from Pages: 1 — 5
“On 8 September 1958, Iskander Mirza then the President of Pakistan negotiated and purchased the Gwadar enclave from Oman for $3 million and it officially became part of Pakistan. At the time, Gwadar was a small and underdeveloped fishing village with a population of a few thousand. The Pakistani government integrated Gwadar into Balochistan province on 1 July 1977 as the district headquarters of the newly formed Gwadar District.
KARACHI-GWADUR SUB-DIVISION
“In December 1860 the Reverend Perey Badger, a distinguished Oriental Scholar, attached to the Zanzibar Mission, and possessing a thorough acquaintance with the Persian Gulf, addressed a letter to the Government of Bombay, advocating the erection of a land-line along its shores. In this letter he mentions that the Turkish line to Busreh is in a fair way towards completion, and that the H. E. I. Coy are ready to continue their line from Busreh to Karachi.
“Sir, W. O’Shaughnessy had advocated a cable through the Gulf, with stations at Muscat and Bassidore, but Mr. Badger points out that the Red Sea Cable laid in 1859 having completely failed, a cable laid in the Persian Gulf would probably fail from similar causes. The principal sources of danger, he appeared to think, were hot springs, volcanic action, and great depth of water.
“Mr. Badger accordingly suggested the erection of a land-line from Karachi to Busreh, and gave an outline of the difficulties to be encountered along the route. He considered that from Busreh to the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab the line would be quite safe, but from the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab to Bunder-Abas it would have to be protected by the Persian Government. From Bunder-abas to Pasni, being under Seyyed Thoweynee, the Sultan of Muscat, we could confidently expect every possible assistance in that district. The difficult part, he considered, was between Pasni and Karachi, about which we had no information, and which we had consequently assumed to be inhabited by barbarous tribes quite independent of any form of government. He pointed out that these tribes might perhaps, have a better form of government than usually supposed, as they kept up a friendly intercourse by native craft with Muscat. He remarked that it if was found possible to put up a line along this piece of the coast, the possibility of maintaining a line from Karachi to Busreh would be highly probable.
“Mr. Badger’s letter was sent by the Bombay government to the Commissioner in Sind, and to the Political Agents at Khelat, Muscat, Bushire and Bagdad from their opinion on these proposals. The Commissioner in Sind, (Mr. Inveracity) approved of Mr. Badger’s proposal, and stated that no difficulty whatever was to be contemplated in carrying the line along the Mekran Coast.
“Major Henry Green, Political Agent at Khelat, also wrote in favour of Mr. Badger’s proposal, and in his letter gave an account of how the town of Gwadar had fallen into the possession of the Arabs, and suggested that the British Government should purchase that town from the Imam of Muscat and hand it over as a gift to the Khan of Khelat, so that the whole of the coast of Mekran should be under one ruler.
“Mr. Hormuzd Rassam, the acting British Agent at Muscat, also reported that no danger was to be apprehended from the tribes along the Mekran Coast. In May 1861 the Indian Marine Steamer ‘Hugh Lindsay’ which was used as a tug-boat for the port of Karachi, was placed at the disposal of Major Henry Green, to make a tour of inspection along the Mekran Coast with reference to the proposed telegraph line.
“Major Green’s expedition was a very hurried one, on account of the inconvenience caused at Karachi by the absence of the tug-boat. He was, therefore, only able to visit Gwadar and Ormara, his tour lasting 5 days. Major Green’s report contains nothing of interest except the proposal to establish a Political Officer at Gwadar, and a suggestion that the British Government should purchase the town of Gwadar and present it to the Khan of Khelat.
“The following are some extract from the report of the expedition by Major Green, dated Bombay, 23rd June 1861:- ‘With regard to the setting up of the line, no physical difficulties of any consequence present themselves. From Ras Kutchuree to Ras Malan the line would have to be carried over a low spur of mountains from the main range. From Ras Senny to Ras Bussool, and from Shemaul Bunder to Ras Koppak, this again will have to be done. The whole of the rest can be carried along the line of coast close to the sea.’
“‘For stations, I would certainly suggest that Gwadar be selected as a principal one, both from its central position, (being nearly equidistant between Karachi and Bunder-Abas,) its capabilities as a harbor, excellent water and salubrious climate, rendering it fitted for the residence of Europeans. Four other inferior stations might be selected to the eastward between Gwadar and Karachi, viz, Pasni, Kulmut, Ormara and Sonmeanee; and five to the westward, between Gwadar and Bunder-Abas, all to be subordinate to Gwadar. The whole of the coast lying eastward of Gwadar, as far as the Hubb river, close to Karachi, forms part of Baluchistan, and belongs to His Highness the Khan of Khelat. The town and port of Gwadar, although at present under the jurisdiction of the Imam of Muscat, is claimed by His Highness the Khan of Khelat, to whose ancestor, Nusseer Khan, it undoubtedly belonged. In a former report to Government on this subject, I pointed out the manner in which it came into the hands of the Imam, and at the same time suggested that it might be purchased by the British Government and restored to the Khan of Khelat. From information gained by me on the spot, I have reason to believe that the Imam would be willing to give over all claims for a sum equivalent to two years purchase of the port-dues: these average about Rs.6,000 yearly; I should therefore, say that the port might be purchased for bout Rs.12,000 or Rs.15,000. Should the above suggestion meet with approval, it would place the whole line of coast from Gwadar to Karachi under the control of one Chief, with whom certain conditions might be then entered into for the protection of the line; it would also put a stop to the constant disputes which occur between the subjects of the Baluch Chief and those of the Imam, on the matter of the rightful possession of Gwadar.
“‘With a view to the carrying into effect the above proposition, I would suggest that a carefully selected British Officer be sent to reside at Gwadar, and that he be appointed an Assistant to the Political Agent at Khelat; that His Highness the Khan then be instructed to select and appoint one of his most trustworthy officers as Governor of the port. This having been arranged, I consider that subsidy of Rs.20,000 or £ 2,000 per annum, might be granted to His Highness the Khan for the purpose of protecting the line between Karachi and Gwadar, which might be effected by His Highness taking into his pay a certain number of men of the tribes located near the different stations to act as police, and to constant patrol the line. The subsidy should be under the control of the English Officer, who would see that it was properly spent, and for the purpose for which it was given. His Highness the Khan should further be distinctly informed that the port of Gwadar and its revenues were given over to him for the express purpose of his assisting by every means in his power, to afford protection to the line.
“‘The British Officer at Gwadar should be allowed a liberal establishment, and a small escort of Baluch, mounted on horses or camels. A small steam dispatch boat, of about 400 tons, should also be kept at Karachi or Gwadar, for the purpose of frequently running along the whole coast between Karachi and Bunder-Abas or Bushire, visiting the different stations, and landing at different parts of the coast to inspect the line.‘
“In June 1861, it was stated in a dispatch from the Secretary of State that negotiations had been entered into with the Persian Government for the constructions of a line from the Turkish frontier to Bunder-Abas. The dispatch also sanctioned the construction of a line along the Mekran Coast, and stated that material had been obtained for its erection, and that Sir W. O’Shaughnessy, the Director-General of Telegraphs in India, had been selected to carry out the work. The dispatch also directed that an officer should be deputed to carefully survey the Mekran Coast before commencing work.
“From this dispatch we also learn that the Reverend Perey Badger had been deputed to Muscat and would inquire into the question of the possession of Gwadar by the Imam of Muscat.
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