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'File 19/12 Bahrain, Precis of Zobara Affairs in 1895' [‎68v] (142/230)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (114 folios). It was created in 17 Apr 1895-7 Sep 1895. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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12
perhaps the oreater part, will elect to do so, but the relations of some with Sheikh Esa may
now be such as to cause a mutual desire for separation. I would ask whether in such case,
e vacua tiwiof Zabara being rigidly enforced, the condition as to return to Bahrein might be
iXed As to the fourth condition, the number of boats delivered over is not yet known,
nor whether these belong, for the most part, to the A1 bin Ah or to JWs people ; the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Agent at Bahrein, however, reports that crews sulhcient to navigate about
boats have been requisitioned.
Since writing the above I have received your telegram of this date.
1 regret to add my tear that Commander Pelly has suffered very severely from the
severity of the hot season of this climate, to the extreme of which he has been exposed lor
over two months. The heat is now abating.
No. 06O. ^ ^ ^ gphi nx 'f a t Zobara, the 7th September 1895.
1/
\
From— C aptain J. H. P ellt , Commander and Senior Naval Officer,
To— C olonel F. A. W ilson , 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
I have the honor to inform you that I did not go to Zobara as intimated in my last letter
having met the " Pigeon at sea and despatched
Enclosures 5 in No. ^here in my stead, with orders to keep a strict
watch upon the movements of the hostile dhows that were known to be there.
On the evening of the 5th instant I received a letter from the " Pigeon informing me
that the Mudir hatf been on board that vessel and ordered her immediate departure from /obara,
accompanied by a threat §hould the order not be obeyed. He informed Lieutenant Com
mander Cartwright that Jasim intended to attack Bahrein with the boats there assembled,
and that so far from preventing him, they (the Turks) were themselves going to join m this
attack upon Bahrein.
At davlight on the 6th instant 1 therefore proceeded to Zobara, arriving about noon,
and after taking into careful consideration the serious nature of the^ facts as laid before me by-
Lieutenant Commander Cartwright and that these boats were stationed here fully armed and
readv to proceed at once for an attack upon Bahrein, I determined as the only cours? open
for me for the prevention of this attack, to destroy by tire this hostile licet.
I accordingly sent a letter to Jasim, who is here, warning him that in one hour s time
from his receipt of this letter I should commence operations.
I opened tire, the "Pigeon " assisting, at 3-45 p.m ., that day keeping up a steady, continual
shell fire until sunset. I then despatched 3 boats, manned and armed, in command of Lieuten
ant and Commander Cartwright, taking inflammable stores with them for the purpose of
burnino- as many of the dhows as possible, keeping up a blank fire during their absence trorn
the ^hip to scare away the natives. They succeeded in burning 8 of the dhows, ihe total
number of dhows destroyed as far as can ba ascertained from the ship is about 44.
A flag of truce was flying on shore this morning, and I received a letter from Jasim, to
which I sent a reply stating ray terms for his surrender. Later in the day I received his
answer, complying with my demands. A copy of this correspondence I enclose for your
information.
I am writing to the Agent at Bahrein to send over Bahreinees to man these dhows and
take them to Bahrein.
The Turkish officials appear to have cleared out of the town and I find the Turkish flag
is no longer flying on shore.
No. 3G1. i 1£mK
Dated Zobara, the 6th September 189o.
From— aptain J. H. F elly , Commander and Senior Officer,
To— J asim M ahomed bin T hant.
In consequence of information conveyed to the Commander of H. M. S. Pigeon
that the fleet is assembled here, all armed for the purpose of attacking Bahrein, I hereby
inform you that I intend to destroy the fleet in one hour's time after delivery of this letter.
No. 362. v iooc
Dated 17th Rabi-ul-Awal 1313 = the 7th September 189o.
From— J asim bin M ahomed (bin T hani),
To —C aptain J. H. F elly , Commander of the Ship "Sphinx."
"When I came to this place (Zobara) my object was no other than (to promote) good,
and from the time I came here I sued for your pardon and (begged you) to abstain from
unlawful deeds. I complied with your wishes on that very day.

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Content

This file contains correspondence regarding an attempt by Sultan bin Mohamed bin Salamah (the head of the Al bin Ali tribe in Bahrain) - with the assistance of Shaikh Jasim Al Thani of Qatar and the Ottoman Governor (Mutasarrif) of El Hasa - to establish a settlement at Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. on the Qatar Peninsula.

The British were entirely opposed to this idea and the correspondence contains details of their reaction to it, including an account of a bombardment of a fleet of dhows at Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. by the H. M. S. Sphinx in September 1895.

Extent and format
1 volume (114 folios)
Arrangement

File is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end. However, from folio 73b onwards the pages are copies of earlier pages (these are also in chronological order).

Physical characteristics

Formerly a bound correspondence volume, the file's pages have been unbound and are now loose. Foliation starts on first page with writing (3rd folio in volume). Foliation is in pencil in top right corner of recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . The following foliation errors occur: f.61 is followed by f.61A. f.73 is replaced by f.73A and f.73B.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'File 19/12 Bahrain, Precis of Zobara Affairs in 1895' [‎68v] (142/230), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/314, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023105441.0x00008f> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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