'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Bahrein [Bahrain] Affairs, 1854-1904' [‎35] (54/204)

35
CHAPTER XIII.
O Turkish movements in Katar, (') Chief of Bahrein advised to
keep aloof from complication in Katar, 1873.
124. There had been at this time rumours of movement of Turkish troops
Letter No. 37, dated 16th August 1873. to Ojair from Katif, but Major Grant,
Pol a., December 1873, No. 412, First Assistant 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. , who had
been asked to make enquiries, reported to Colonel Ross on 16th August 1873
that the rumour was incorrect and that the fact was that a detachment of some
100 men had embarked at Katif to accompany the Turkish Officer Hossein
Effendi to Zobarah on the mainland, some 20 miles south of Bahrein. In
a conversation with Major Grant, the Chief of Bahrein claimed the Naim tribes,
living near Zobarah, as his subject under treaty, and stated that when he
became Chief of Bahrein, the Chief of the Naim tribe had in Colonel Felly's
presence acknowledged subjection to Bahrein under treaty. Major Grant wrote
to Colonel Ross that he had no means of forming an opinion on the claim
advanced by the Bahrein Chief to sovereignty over the Naim tribe, but from
verbal information he inferred that any power exercised by Bahrein of late years
over that tribe had been merely nominal, if it existed at all.
In order to obtain more particulars of the alleged intended Turkish ex
pedition, Major Grant sent a messenger to Katar, who reported that Hossein
Effendi was said to have gone to Zobarah for the purpose of inducing the Chief
of the Naim tribe to come under Turkish rule. Major Grant said this was mere
coffee-room gossip and nothing new; he advised the Chief of Bahrein to refer
to Colonel Ross regarding the claim of the Naim tribes for protection against
the Turkish Government.
125. Colonel Ross replied on receiving Major Grant's report that though
the matter of sovereignty over Katar had
Letter No, 1074—366, dated 28th August 1873. apparently never been formally decided,
Pol. a., becember 1873, No. 415. st jjj T ur kl s h authorities in Nejd had
established an influence over the Katar Coast as far as the Odeid boundary.
He thought the Bahrein Chief had not the power, if he wished, to protect tribes
residing in Katar, and that he could not expect Government to interfere where
the rights were involved in uncertainty. The Chiefs allied with Bahrein could
choose between remaining where they were and removing to Bahrein with the
latter's permission. He said that Colonel Pelly had always counselled the Chief
of Bahrein to rfrnain strictly neutral under the then existing circumstances, to
keep aloof from all complications on the mainland with the i urks, Wahabis, etc ,
and that the Chief should continue so to act. Colonel Ross desired Major
Grant to communicate thus with Bahrein with reference to his appeal for advice,
and to dissuade him from acting contrary to it.
126. In writing to Government, Colonel Ross thought that, as the question
of sovereign and feudal rights over places
N. 4 ' 87S- and tribes on the mainland of Arabia op-
posite to Bahrein, was a complicated one, probably Government would not deem
it practicable or expedient to enter into its merits. He said :—
" The question of the sovereignty Over Katar generally has never yet been decided
It has perhaps been a debateable land between Oman on one side and the Wahabi power
on the other. At one time the Chief of Abuthabi is said to have exercised authority
in Katar. Later the Utubis having settled there and at Bahrein became paramount.
These in turn had to pay religious tithe to the Wahabi Amir, who established a Gover
nor of his own at Bidaa. Since the Turkish occupation of El Hassa the whole line of
coast as far as Odeid has fallen under Turkish influence, and the Chiefs in general h av e
been forced or induced to accept the Turkish flag. Bidaa has been actually occupied and
a body of Turkish ti oops is now quartered there."
127. He proceeded to say that in October 1871 Colonel Pelly had obtained
permission from the Bombay Government to defer reporting on the question ^ of
sovereignty over Katar, as there was a probability of the Turks withdrawing
from Nejd. He thought the actual position of affairs at Katar did not afford
Cause of complaint against the Turkish authorities, but that any move of the