"دليل الخليج. الجزء الأول. المواد التاريخية والسياسية. ملخص عن التوسع التركي على السواحل العربية للخليج العربي وشؤون الأحساء والقطيف" [‎٤‎٩] (١٦٠/٦١)

49
" Abdullah is reported to be in Riadh and Saud to continue in tlie neighbourhood of
Gwattur, while a correspondence is said to be going on between them, though as yet it is not
known that they have come to any terms.
" Meantime Midhut Pasha shows no intention of withdrawing from his aggressive, costly,
and hopeless policy in Nejd. While at Bassorah on his way back to Baghdad he purchased
from the Persian Governor of Mahomerali a steam vessel to run between Hussorah and Katif,
and on the 1st instant a detachment of about 300 soldiers left this to supply the place of some
of the sick men whom he brought up.
" This country is thus being denuded of troops to a considerable extent, and it is highly
probable that these will be needed here in the spring.
" The Arabs are said to be much disaftacted, particularly the Sharamar, who are excited
by the mode of execution at Moosul of their late Sheikh, Abdul Kurreem. Rain is now falling
abundantly throughout the country and will fill the wells in the desert, and a rising is con
sidered by no means impossible.^
175. Colonel Felly's last news, dated 13th January, was that the Turkish
Commodore had proceeded to El Bidaa taking with him the steamer Assur
and a battalion of regular troops. These he landed at K1 Bidaa against the
will of the Chiefs. Colonel Felly wrote:—
" This practical experience of what is meant by Turkish friendship may, perhaps, account
for the Gwattur Chief having addressed a very polite letter to me."
The following report of the landing at El Bidaa is given by the Assistant
Folitical Resident in his news gleanings
"The two Turkish ships at El Biddeh saluted and invited the Chief, Mahomed bin Sanee,
on board; he excused himself, but afterwards, at the request of Abdullah bin Subah, Chief of
Koweit, he went on board, accompanied by his son.
" The Turkish Commander presented dresses of honour both to the Chief and his son, and
said to the former, you asked for help, and we have been ordered to come here and help you,
and will land the troops,
" The Chief replied, I did ask for help, but it was when I was at feud with Saud ; now
we are friends, you had better go back again; this is no place for you ; there is no food for
you or your thousand men. The officer said my orders are to land, and land I must, you had
better write to my Government to say you don't want us, and I will then go when ordered.
The force landed and took possession of a fort called ' El Maselim ' and a few houses near it.
The people of El Biddeh are very angry at this occupation of the place. The larger Turkish
ship had left, but the smaller was still at Biddeh."
176. Regarding the brothers Abdullah and Saud, Colonel Felly wrote
" Abdullah bin Peysul continues to live at Riadh, while his brother Saud hangs on
the desert skirts of Gwattur. The brothers are, I believe, in correspondence, but whether
their prejudices and respective pretensions will admit of their practically coalescing remains to
be seen.
" The Turkish forces are distributed as before reported. But they are probably further
diminished by sickness, and by return of time-expired men. Katif seems to be so un
healthy that one of the Turkish Commanders informed me it was in contemplation to abandon
the present site of the town as a military station/'
177. On the 26th January Colonel Herbert telegraphed that 120 artillery
men had left Baghdad on the previous day for Katif and several hundred
invalids had arrived thence.
• Bombay Gcer^nt, No. 1007, dated 19ft _ 17S - C 0 ' 0 ™ 3 ' Pell y a letter dated 27 th
February 1872. J anuary Wrote*
" The reports I have received from many points extending from Busreh to the pirate coast
bear a common resemblance, but are all of them more or less unreliable.
" I gather, generally, however, that the Turkish force at Lahsa has been reduced below its
original strength; but that reinforcements are being sent to Katif in Snipe, which steamer
the Turkish authorities have recently purchased.
That Abdoollah bin Feysul is still at Riadh in communination with his brother
Saood, who with a body of Bedouins is moving about on the inland skirts of Gwuttur.
" 5r^.—That Saood in turn is in communication with the Turkish Commander at Lahsa
in view to a meeting at a place called ' Cheranabthe Principals seem to mistrust each other.
—That the Turkish troops have been withdrawn from El Biddeh in Gwuttur,
leaving there only a detachment for the protection of srores, &c. It is also generally believed
that the Arabs of Gwuttur are dissatisfied with Turkish proceedings."
[C967i , D]
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