ملف رقم ٣٢٠٨ لسنة ١٩٠٨، جزء ٢، "الخليج الفارسي: قضية قرصنة في الفويرط" [ظ‎‎٤] (٦٠/٦)

5. I have directed the Nakhuda to bring evidence as to the amount and
value of the cargo, and as to fact that no assistance in salving was rendered by
the people of Fuwairat.
6. It will be within your recollection that a somewhat similar case arose at
Fuwairat in or about September 1909, which was referred to you by Captain
Mackenzie in his letter No. 634, dated 2nd October 1909.
Some correspondence with Government ensued, and the decision of His
Majesty’s Government was received in a letter No. 693 E. A., dated 31st March
1910, from the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department
to the Political Resident in the Persian _ Gulf. His Majesty’s Government
considered that the wrecking of the Persian boat in question had not been
clearly established ; and that retaliatory action on shore in Qatar was inexpedi
ent in view of the Porte’s claims to sovereignty in that region.
Action at sea was similarly negatived at a later date —vide the letter from
the India Office to the Foreign Office, dated 3rd September 1910, forwarded
under your No. 2774, dated 15th October 1910.
The matter was accordingly dropped.
7. I am in ignorance as to whether the relations at present existing between
the British Government and the Porte would make the former more ready, or
less ready, to assert its right to direct interference in the distirct of Qatar.
From the local point of view it is most undesirable that a second case of
this sort should be allowed to pass unnoticed, or rather undecided, Nasir-ut
Tuwar and others like him will not be slow to draw the conclusions that they are
free to act towards the subjects and protegds of the British Government as they
like with entire impunity ; and no foreign boat or foreigner coming to Fuwairat
and similar ports will be safe.
8. In writing as I have done to Shaikh Jasim bin Thani, I have tried to
reserve the right to take such action as we see good without at the same time
committing ourselves to take any action at all.
It is an act of courtesy to write to him as a professed friend and the principal
authority in Qatar, but it is unlikely to have any very definite result. He will
probably repudiate any authority and power to control Nasir, which will leave the
field free to us and the Turks. On the other hand, I believe, he quite recently
temporarily imprisoned Nasir and fined him, and he may be glad of a further
excuse for dealing a blow at him I do not propose to communicate with Nasir-
ut-Tuwar except on instructions from you.
Statement of Nakhuda Muhammad Musa bin Ismail of Hdfun ) dated 25th
July igi2 I
I started from Hafun with cargo of w r ood in my sambnk. Besides myself
there were 33 khalasis. We could not sell our cargo in Aden or Maskat and
therefore proceeded to the Arab Coast. We took in a pilot from Maskat. We
reached Fuwairat on the 22nd Rajab 1330. The pilot told us it was Bahrein.
We anchored, but it being very stormy, the anchor broke and the sambuk ran
ashore and was damaged seriously. IVe landed the cargo ashore and wanted to
sell it. The Fidawis of Nasir Tuwar told us not to sell anything without taking
permission fr/im the headman Nasir. The said Nasir returned from the sea
after two days. He demanded half the cargo as his right. We refused to give
so much. He threatened us. We were in a helpless condition. Our cargo
was on the shore and sambuk broken and unable to sail. We offered one-fifth
and then one-fourth but Nasir was not satisfied till he seized half of the cargo
The remaining half he took from us for Rs. 1,114. He forced us to take it.
« u r carg 0 consisted of 190 scores of shalman and 500 maunds (of Zanzibar
— 28 lbs. each) fuel. It was worth Rs. 6,000 according to Bahrein market,
t hen we were forced to sign a paper that we had no claim or complaint against
iNasir. When I refused to sign it, Nasir imprisoned three of my crew. I then