"الخليج العربي - الولاية القضائية التركية على طول الساحل العربي (الجزء الثاني)" [ظ‎‎١‎٤‎٨] (٤٥/٤)

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Bedouin tribe of the Beni Hajir had made a serious
attempt to cross from the mainland and attac
Bahrein, that the attempt had been defeated by
the movements of Her Majesty s vessels on the
spot, but that it was likely to^ be renewed from
one of the ports under Turkish authouty. In
replv. Colonel Boss was ordered* to take effective
steps to defend the island against aggression by
any Chiefs or tribes of the Gulf. flic Govern
ment of India, at the same time, suggested to the
Secretary of State that Her Majesty s Ambassador
at Constantinople might be instructed to represcu
to the Porte that, if the tribes in question were
under the authority of Turkey, they should be re-
strained by the Government of the Sultan, t ticy
added, " If, however, Bahrein is attacked, action
" on the part of the British authorities in repelling
" the tribe will not be delayed."
From Colonel Ross's detailed report (12th Sep
tember 1874).f it appeared that the Beni Ilajir
had obtained boats at B1 Bidaa and were making
for Bahrein, but that, disconcerted by the appear
ance of the " May Trere " gunboat, they abandoned
their boats and marched to attack Zobarah, a
place on the Guttur peninsula held by the Nairn
tribe, " allies, and in some degree dependents, of
the Bahrein Chief." Zobarah was saved from
capture by the arrival of the gunboat "Hugh
Eose," the commander of which, by exercising his
men at gun practice and firing two rounds of shell,
apparently over the heads of the combatants on
shore, so intimidated the Arabs that they retired
inland.
This proceeding of Captain Campbell was made
the subject of a formal diplomatic remonstrance by
ilj« Tii*k«ih Government, through Musurus Pasha,{
who gave a veiTsion of the transaction, according
to which twenty4wo naan of the tribe had been
killed by the fire of the %x Hugh Rose." The
Turkish note concluded as follows:—" T1 est a
" peine besoin d'ajouter que, si le commandant
avaifc des griefs contre qui que ce soit, il pourrait
<c ct devait s'addresser aux autorites Imperiales
" pour en poursuivre le redressement par leur
<£ entremise—a distinct claim to jurisdiction over
the Guttur coast opposite Bahrein.
this point Colonel Ross, in his report (12th
-SeptAmber 1874) to the Government of India, ob-
serve|l?V-
" By the Tteity of 1861 with the Chiefs of Bahrein
the British Gsovernment undertake to give their
support to tpe Chief in the maintenance of the
security of /rfis possessions against maritime aggres
sions dirjAed against them by the Chiefs and tribes
of ttie^l/orsian Gulf. It becomes a duty, therefore,
firstly> to prevent as far as possible any Chiefs or
tribes finding the opportunity of embarking in such
aggressive enterprises; and, secondly, if such a
naval expedition should be found at sea by a British
vessel of war, it would be the duty of such vessel
to employ force against it.
* Political Letter, No.
173, dated 22nd Sept. 1874.
f Political Letter, No.
191, dated 23rd Oct. 1874,
Enclosure No. 7.
J From Foreign Office,
13 th Oct. 1874. Home
Correspondence, Vol. 81,
p. 308.
f
m