"الخليج العربي - الولاية القضائية التركية على طول الساحل العربي (الجزء الرابع)" [‎١‎٣] (١٦/١٣)

13
The Native Assistant having handed Jasim a
receipt for the indemnity, obtained from him the
following letter in satisfaction of the demand for
an apology and a guarantee of future good treatment
of the banians :—
Aftci compliments. Ity your arrival I was sure you would
accept my apology when it has become certain to you that I did
not expel them suddenly, and that I in the end wanted them to
remain in the place; and that they left the place of their own ac
cord When you demanded this amount of Rs. 8,000, and com
pelled me to pay it, I did so, and please God you will excuse me
tor what has taken place between us in regard to correspondence
on the subject.
“ Please God you will submit my reply to Her Majesty’s Go
vernment of India, that I will not commit any acts against their
wishes.
In regard to the banians, if I continue in this place as before,
they will be in safety as they were before, but if I do not remain
in this place and remove to some other place, I beg to be excused
in the matter ; and whoever shall be the Chief in the place, he
shall certainly give them the required protection.”
During his stay at El Bidaa, Colonel Ross had
no official communication with any Turkish officer
or authority. Several of the Turkish soldiers came
on hoard for medical treatment, and, he heard, they
held a very had opinion of Jasim, and expressed a
hope he would he well punished.
As to Jasim, the Resident himself wrote :—
“Sheikh Jasim-bin-Muhammad-Thani is the most impracticable
Arab I have ever had to deal with. He is untruthful, untrust
worthy, arrogant, avaricious, and miserly, and these qualities blind
him to his true interests, as is seen in his whole career. It would
r tlling f ° r if *1® wer ® to lose his position of Sheikh
p , ^^ aa ’ ^ d° n °t think there is any immediate prospect
of that occurring.” 1
* To India; Secret, No. 6, dated 9th
March 1883.
f From Foreign Office, 1st March 1883.
Home; No, 142.
f The Earl of Kimberley had succeeded the
Marquis of Hartington as Secretary of State
for India in December 1882.—A.W.M.
§ To Foreign Office, 9th March 1883.
Home ; No. 142.
The Government of India, in communicating to
Colonel Ross their approval of his proceeding's,
expressed their appreciation of the “ tact, patience,'
and ability ” displayed by him during the course of
•the affair (Enel. 29), and the Secretary of State, on
the part of Her Majesty’s Government, intimated
his full concurrence in this commendation. ¥
As was to be expected, these transactions did not
pass without notice from the Turkish Government.
On the 10th February 1883, Her Majesty’s Chargi
d’Affaires at Constantinople received a “ Note
Verbale from the Porte, based upon a report from
the Governor General of the Vilayet of Baghdad,
protesting against Colonel Ross’s proceedings as
contrary to international law, and calling for a
refund of the indemnity exacted from ° Sheikh
Jasim, who was styled “ Sous-Gouverneur ” of
Katr. A communication in the same sense was
made to Lord Granville by the Turkish Ambassador
in London.f
It being, in Lord Granville’s opinion, which was
concurred in by Lord Kimberley, J desirable to avoid
discussion of the subject, whether in Constantinople
or London, it was decided to make no written replies
to these communications, but, if necessary, to inform
both the Porte and the Ambassador verbally that
“ Her Majesty’s Government must decline to admit
“ the Turkish claim of sovereignty over El Bidaa.” $
9429. d