Background The expansion of the British Empire in the 19th century required a fast and reliable system of communication to enable the British government in London to issue instructions and receive information quickly. The
Indian Mutiny of 1857, followed by the annexation of India in 1858, emphasised this need. By 1856, cables had been laid linking Britain with North Africa and the
Ottoman Empire. A scheme to lay a cable through Mesopotamia to the head of the Persian Gulf failed when the Turks refused to grant permission. By 1858, the British government, through grants and subsidies, was actively encouraging schemes to establish a telegraphic link between Britain and India. In 1859, the Red Sea Telegraph Company laid a submarine cable through the
Red Sea and Indian Ocean to
Bombay. It became apparent that the cable was not sufficiently robust to withstand the conditions, and that too little slack had been built into the cable, leading to breaks in the line. The cable was a failure, and no messages were passed between London and Bombay. The cable was landed on a small rocky island in the Elphinstone Inlet (Khor Ash Sham) of the Musandam Peninsula. Hence this island became known as Telegraph Island. A repeater station was built on the island, which was about a mile offshore, because of fears about the volatile tribes on the mainland, primarily the Zahuriyeen tribe, who lived on the nearby Maqtab Isthmus. The station at Musandam was fitted with telegraphic equipment by Siemens. There were quarters for the telegraph operators, together with those for the servants and two hulks fitted up for staff who wanted a break from the monotony of living on the island. They had a couple of boats for their leisure time, and regular newspaper deliveries. This, together with the work of maintaining the cable, and visits from steamers to change over staff and bring supplies, it was hoped would keep the staff occupied. The Musandam to Bushire section was completed on 25 March 1864, and that between Kurrachee and the head of the Gulf at Fao, on 5 April. Unfortunately, the Turks experienced problems in completing the link from Baghdad to Fao, primarily due to attacks by hostile tribes in Mesopotamia, which were only stopped after negotiations with local sheikhs and by stationing guards at close intervals along the line. The through connection was eventually achieved in 1865. In 1865, to address these problems, it was planned to run a second line onshore through Persia, and although this line was built, it was abandoned in 1868 because of objections from the Turks who regarded it as unnecessary competition with the Fao to Baghdad line. After the repeater station had been established on Telegraph Island, it became apparent that the location was unsuitable, with extreme heat making life unbearable for the operators and leading to the death of two in two years. The opposition of the tribesmen, although at times subdued, was never overcome entirely with the result that it was constantly necessary to have a gun boat in the vicinity of the island. After it was evacuated, Telegraph Island remained an important strategic point, as evidenced by the decision of the
British Government in 1904 to erect flagpoles there. However, an agreement could not be reached about which flag to fly – the
Union Jack or the Blue Ensign of the Royal India Marine. The former would imply sovereignty over the island, which Britain did not have, while the latter might bring responsibility on the British to defend it, which the government did not want. It was eventually decided to fly neither flag, and all the flagpoles were removed except one. The flagpole could not be seen from the open sea but is not clear whether officials in London ever appreciated this fact. == Tourism ==