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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.’ [‎108] (120/160)

The record is made up of 1 volume (80 folios). It was created in 1904. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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108
T
4
miglit be the subject of just remonfltranoe on the part of the Turkish Government. In
• Telegram dated 20th Mav answer to the Secretary of State's call* for a full
Telegram, dated 20th May. re port, the Government of India referred to their
despatch of the 22nd May, and, pending further instructions, the Admiralty desired the officers
in command of Her Majesty's ships in the Gulf to take no hostile action within Turkish terri
tory or its waters without the consent or co-operation of the Turkish authorities.
419. It was observed in paragraph 4 of this note that Sir J. Pauncefote's
letter, dated 23rd August, dealt also with the subject-matter of two despatches
from the Government of India, Nos, 55 and 77, dated, respectively, 22nd May
and 23rd June.
420. Sir J. Pauncefote intimated that copies of these two despatches
would be sent to Sir H. Layard, who would be authorized to use his discretion
as to making further representation to the Porte, either with regard to the
surrender of Bahrein subjects implicated in the recent raid upon that island,
or respecting the expediency of obtaining compensation for those of the sufferers
from the various depredations recorded in whom the British Government were
interested. Sir H. Layard, it appears, had already supported the application
made by Colonel JSixon on the former of these two points in a note verbale, <
a copy of which has not been communicated to the Government of India.
421. In a later letter, dated 22nd September, Sir J. Pauncefote forwarded
copies of further papers received from Sir H. Layard, which show the further
steps taken to compel the Turks to adopt vigorous measures in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Early in September, in consequence of a despatch from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency.
at Baghdad on the increase of piracy in the Gulf, Sir H. Layard addressed the
following note verbale to the Porte in continuation of previous notes on the
same subject:—
" Her Majesty's Ambassador considers it his duty to communicate to the Sublime Porte,
and to recommend to its serious consideration the accompanying extracts from a despatch
addressed to him by Her Majesty's Consul-General at Baghdad, relating to piracy in Turkish
waters in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
" The Sublime Forte is, no doult, aware that the British Government at a great sacrifice
of life and treasure succeeded, after many years, in putting an end to piracy in those waters.
Her Majesty's Government can never permit that British interests and commerce should suffer
ly its revival in consequence of their recognition of Turkish jurisdiction over certain parts of the
Arabian coast. It must be quite evident to the Sublime Forte that, if the state of things des
cribed by Her Majesty's Consul-General he allowed to continue, Her Majesty's Government will
be compelled to take such measures as may be necessary for the protection of British subjects and
shipping in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
" . W0l dd appear from the reports which have reached Her Majesty's Embassy, that the
responsibility for this recent revival of piracy mainly rests with Abdulla Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Governor
of Busreh, who has shown himself indifferent to the urgent representations made to him on
the subject by the British authorities, and has failed to adopt the means required for suppress
ing piracy and for punishing those who have been guilty of it.
" Her Majesty's Embassy has much satisfaction in admitting: that Ahmed Bey, who was
sent some months ago to command the Turkish squadron in the Euphrates and the Persian
Gulf, showed an earnest desire to deal with this grave evil.
" It is with much regret that Her Majesty's Ambassador has heard of his untimely
death. It is to be hoped that his successor will prove equally active and equally determined to
discharge the duty confided to him, notwithstanding any opposition that he may receive from
Abdulla Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . Should, however, the tribes on the Arabian coast over which the Sublime
Porte claims jurisdiction revert to those piratical habits from which they were deterred by the
action of the British authorities, and should the safety of British shipping and British subjects
be again endangered by such piratical attacks as are described in the accompanying documents,
the Forte must alone be responsible for the consequence."
422. It will be observed that in this note verbale Sir H. Layard admits
that Turkish jurisdiction on certain parts of the Arabian coast has been re-
cognized; and he throws the responsibility for the further continuance of
piracies upon the Turkish Government. Apparently it was intended that the
action of Her Majesty's Government would be restricted to the measures
necessary for the protection of British subjects and shipping in the Gulf.

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Content

Part 1 of a Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. gazetteer of historical and political materials, a précis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs. The précis was prepared by Jerome Antony Saldanha, whose preface (under which his surname is erroneously spelt Saldana) is dated 25 November 1904, and published by the Government of India Foreign Deptartment, Simla, India.

The preface is an historical outline of the struggle for political dominance in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , including Portuguese, British, Wahabi [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] and Turkish expansion. The chapters (titles shown in italics) deal with the subject in an roughly chronological fashion:

1. Early history of Hasa and Katif , including: references to the area in Arabic writing; the first known Arab colonists; and early references to the area in British (East India Company) records;

2. Conquest of Hasa by the Wahabis and Turkish expeditions into Nejd [Najd] and Hasa, and their results 1800-1865 , including: conquest of the area by the Wahabis; Turkish expeditions to the area, 1811-19 and 1836-40; Amir Feysal’s [Fayṣal ibn Turki Āl Sa‘ūd] nominal dependence on Turkey, 1855; troubles in Katif, 1859-62; Turkish protest against British proceedings at Damaum [Dammām], 1862; the British war against Amir Feysal, 1865-66; obsolete title of award of Arabia by an Abbasid caliph to the Ottoman Porte; Ottoman ambitions in Arabia (Holy Ottoman Empire);

3. Turkish expedition to Nejd and Hasa, 1871-72 , including: origins of the expedition; intelligence from the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. , Colonel Lewis Pelly; British policy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and effects of the Turkish expedition on that policy; Turkish assurances to Britain, communicated to Bahrain (spelt Bahrein throughout) by Pelly; Turkish promise of non-interference with the rulers of the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ; narrative of the events leading up to and including the landing of the expeditionary force in Nejd; Turkish designs on Katar [Qatar], and their hoisting of the Turkish flag at Budaa [Al-Bidda]; Turkish naval activity in the Gulf, and Britain’s naval response; murder of a suspected Turkish messenger at Bahrain; reasons for the non-interference of the British Government in operations on land; further narrative of the expedition and affairs in Nejd; evidence of Turkish designs on Bahrain; Turkish assurances; relations between Turkey and Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi]; close of the Turkish expedition;

4. Internal affairs of Hasa and Katif, 1872-1904 , including: administration and internal organisation; and a list of governors at Hasa, including events of significance occurring during their rule;

5. Survey of the Katif coast, 1873-74 , including: British intentions and permission gained from the Ottoman Porte; complaints of British survey officers landing on the Nejd coast; written permission to land to undertake surveying.

6. Increase of Turkish military and naval forces in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Turkish policy , including: a memorandum by Captain T Doughty on the state of affairs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ;

7. (1) Trade Relations of Hindu and other traders of Bahrain with Katif, and their disabilities , and (2) Proposal appointment of a consular officer at Katif ;

8. Piracies , including: piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878; ; revolt in Hasa and piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878-81; Turkish responsibilities and jurisdiction for the purpose of suppressing piracies in Katif waters, 1878-81; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1883; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1886; piracies in 1887-88; piracies in 1891-92; piracies in 1899-1900; piracies in 1902 and the proposal of the Chief of Bahrain to maintain an armed dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. for the pursuit of pirates, 1902-03;

9. Murder of Sheikh Selman-bin-Diaij-el-Khalifa [Shaikh Salman bin Diaj Āl Khalīfah] , a cousin of the Chief of Bahrain and his party about 40 miles south of Katif. Question of satisfaction and compensation for it ;

10. Turkish designs on Oman and the rest of the East Arabian Littoral, 1888-1899 ;

11. Summary of British declarations against Turkish encroachments in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and of the Porte’s assurances, 1871-1904 .

The cover of volume, on which the title is printed, also has a number of different pencil and pen annotations, marking former external references or numbering systems (‘P.2557/29’, ‘No.5’, ‘C238’).

Extent and format
1 volume (80 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged into eleven chapters, preceded by a preface. Each chapter is organised by subheadings, and its paragraphs numbered. The paragraph numbers are continuous throughout the whole volume, beginning on 1 at the start of the first chapter, and ending on 553/553A at the end of the eleventh chapter. A contents page at the front of the volume (ff.4-5) lists the chapters by their headings and subheadings, with each referring to paragraph, rather than page, numbers.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence, with page numbers located top and centre of each page.

Written in
English in Latin script
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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.’ [‎108] (120/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x00007a> [accessed 28 April 2024]

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