‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎100] (112/160)

100
CHAPTER EIGHTH.
(III).—Turkish Responsibilities and jurisdiction for the purpose of
suppressing piracies in Katif waters-
1878-1881.
401. Eeference has been made already to the question of Turkish juris-
c * *3 t* u iq-tq "Kr o ii diction on the Katif and Katar coasts
Secret E., December 1878, Nos. 2-11. „ ., „ ...
ior the purpose ot suppressing piracies
recently committed on Bahrein waters. The question was raised in the Secre
tary of State's despatch No. 42, dated 17th October 1878, and the opinion of
the Government of India invUed on the point. This involved the question of
the demarcation of the Turkish sphere of territorial jurisdiction on that coast
and the nature of the responsibility for order which should be held to devolve
on the two Governments. On these pointi an expression of Colonel Ross*
opinion was called for in Poreign Department No. 253 C.P., dated 17th De
cember 1878. Colonel Nixon, also the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. , was
Resident, Bushire'aNo. 30. dated soth t old in a letter of the same date, that the
1879. Government of India would be glad to
1879 ^ TurklSh Arabia ' No '^ dated 12tllJanuary receive any statement of his views which
he might desire to submit. The replies
received from both officers, are summarised below :—•
405. Colonel Ross found the same difficulty which troubled the Govern
ment of India (see paragraph 349 above) in understanding the precise character
of the reference made by Colonel Nixon to the British Ambassador at Cons
tantinople. He points out that we had not been engaged in any disputes
with the tribes of JIasa ; that interference in their inter-tribal affairs had been
avoided ; and that every effort had been made to hold the Turks responsible
for disorder in Turkish districts. He then observed that if Colonel JNixon in
writing of El.Hasa has intended to include Katar, a mistake had been made.
The Turks have subjugated El-Hasa, and their military occupation of that
province had involved the establishment of their authority at Katif and
Ojair. In Katar, however, their authority was acquired at a later period and
in a different manner, viz., by the invitation of the local chiefs of Bidaa ;
and with the exception of Bidaa and the immediate neighbourhood, no
steps have hitherto been taken to establish Turkish authority on the Katar coast.
Strictly speaking, therefore, the continuity of the Turkish authority terminates
at some point near Ojair, and from this point to El-Bidaa there is a tract
where their supremacy has not been established, and which includes the peninsula
on which Zobarah is situate and which is headed by Ras Reccan. But havino-
explained this distinction. Colonel Ross goes on to say that the Turkish Government
might with some reason argue that' their present actual position on this coast does
involve, constructively, domination over the entire tract lying between Ojair
and Bidaa, provided, of course, that no British rights or obligations exist with
reference to this particular tract' of a nature to constitute an obligation to
oppose the full establishment of Turkish authority therein.' The conclusions
at which he arrived were—
" (1) That failing the exercise of British interference there is no obstacle in the way
of completion of the chain of Turkish occupation of El-Katr as far as El-
Bidaa.
" (2) That the British Government is not bound by any existing engao-ements to
oppose that proceeding.
" (3) That assuming that the British Government see no sufficient ground for re-
assuming the supervision and control over the portion of coast in question it
would be best that the Turkish Government should undertake the responsibility
and take effectual measures to maintain good order.
" But there is a point, of course, beyond which it would be jrnpnssible, consistently with
the due maintenance of British rights and performance of our duties, to permit the further
m 1

‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎100] (112/160)

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‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎100] (112/160)

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