'Text of Treaty, dated November 3, 1916, and ratified on March 23, 1918, between His Majesty's Government and Sheikh Abdullah-bin-Jasim-bin-Thani of al-Katar' [‎1r] (1/4)

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. .
PZ. 8143/33.
B. 429.
Text of Treaty, dated November 3, 1916, and ratified on March 23, 1918, between
His Majesty's Government and Sheikh Abdullah-bin-Jasim-bin-Thani of al-Katar.
Whereas my grandfather, the late Sheikh Mohammed-bin-Tham, signed an
agreement on the 12th September, 1868, engaging not to commit any breach of
the maritime peace, and whereas these obligations to the British Government have
devolved on me his successor in Qatar;
I.
I, Sheikh Abdullah-bin-Jasim-bin-Thani, undertake that 1 will, as do the friendly
Arab Shaikhs of Abu Dhabi, Dibai, Shargah, Ajman, Ras-ul-Khaima, and Umm-al-
Qawain, co-operate with the High British Government in the suppression of the slave
trade and piracy, and generally in the maintenance of the maritime peace.
To this end, Lieutenant-Golonel Sir Percy Cox, 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. in the Persian
Gulf, has favoured me with the treaties and engagements entered into between the
Sheikhs above mentioned and the High British Government, and I hereby declare
that I will abide by the spirit and obligations of the aforesaid treaties and
engagements.
IT.
On the other hand, the British Government undertakes that I and my subjects
and my and their vassals shall receive all the immunities, privileges, and advantages
that are conferred on the friendly Sheikhs, their subjects and their vassals. In token
whereof, Sir Percy Cox has affixed his signature with the date thereof to each and
every one of the aforesaid treaties and engagements in the copy granted to me, and I
have also affixed my signature and seal with the date thereof to each and every one
of the aforesaid treaties and engagements, in two other printed copies of the same
treaties and engagements, that it may not be hidden.
III.
And in particular, I, Sheikh Abdullah, have further published a proclamation,
forbidding the import and sale of arms into my territories and port of Qatar; and in
consideration of the undertaking into which I now enter, the British Government on
its part agrees to grant me facilities to purchase and import, from the Maskat Arms
Warehouse, or such other place as the British Government may approve, for my
personal use, and for the arming of my dependents, such arms and ammunition as I
may reasonably need and apply for in such fashion as may be arranged hereafter
through the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrein. I undertake absolutely that arms and
ammunition thus supplied to me shall under no circumstances be re-exported from
my territories or sold to the public, but shall be reserved solely for supplying the
needs of my tribesmen and dependents, whom I have to arm for the maintenance of
order in my territories and the protection of my frontiers. In my opinion, the amount
of my early requirements will be up to five hundred weapons.
IV.
I, Shaikh Abdullah, further undertake that I will not have relations nor correspond
with, nor receive the agent of, any other Power without the consent of the High
British Government; neither will I, without such consent, cede, to any other Power
or its subjects, land, either on lease, sale, transfer, gift, or in any other way whatsoever.
V.
I also declare that, without the consent of the High British Government, I will not
grant pearl-fishery concessions, or any other monopolies, concessions, or cable landing
rights to anyone whomsoever.
VI.
The customs dues on the goods of British merchants imported to Qatar shall not
exceed those levied from my own subjects on their goods, and shall in no case exceed
5 per cent, ad valorem. British goods shall be liable to the payment of no other dues
or taxes of any other kind whatsoever, beyond that already specified.
4 J383 75 12.33