'Memorandum on Bahrein' [‎15r] (29/62)

29
128. Early in 1910 the Persian Government assimilated the formalities to
be fulfilled in the case of persons visiting Bahrein to those prescribed in the case
of travellers to Persian ports, a measure which, as pointed out by the Foreign
Office at the time, constituted a fresh attempt to assert Persian sovereignty over Teh. Desp.
the island, but it was agreed that in view of the undesirability of raising the
general question, no protest should be made to them. In July of the same year p.3539/10.
it was reported' that internal Persian coastal passes issued to persons proceeding
to Bahrein from Persian ports were vise by a Persian merchant residing in
Bahrein. In 1912 the individual in question was forbidden to take any action in
regard to the endorsement of passes held by Persian subjects for travelling in pg. 13, 67,
Bahrein. The endorsements in question were, however, henceforth granted by the ^ 24: '
Political Resident—a practice, as pointed out by the 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. nine
years later, "of itself open to objection, as it might be construed into a tacit
admission that the Persian passport authorities are justified in giving passes for
another Persian port to persons going to Bahrein."
Withdrawal of Turkish Claim to Bahrein in Anglo-Turkish Convention of
29th July, 1913
129. On 29th July, 1913, His Majesty's Government signed a convention
(which still awaited ratification on the outbreak of the War of 1914-18) with the
Ottoman (jovernment, under which that Government renounced all their claims
to the islands of Bahrein, the independence of which they recognised. His
Majesty's Government on their part declared that they had no intention of
annexing the islands and undertook not to allow the Sheikh of Bahrein to disturb
the autonomy of the peninsula of El Katr or to annex it, and to ensure that the
Sheikh should not discriminate against Ottoman subjects in the matter of dues
le^ ied upon pearl fisheries. The 1 urkish Government on their side accepted a
reservation of the right of the population of Bahrein to visit Zakhnunivah Island
for fishing, and recognised the rights of subjects of the Sheikh to British consular
protection in Turkey. This arrangement, followed, as it was, by the disappear
ance of Turkey from the Gulf after the War of 1914-18, disposed of the Turkish
claim to Bahrein, which had been reasserted on numerous occasions and with oreat
insistence since 1847.
Summary, 1892-1913
130. The Turkish claim was repeatedly raised during the early part of this
period, but consistently opposed by His Majestv's Government. It was finallv
abandoned in the (unratified) Anglo-Turkish Convention of July 1913. While
that Convention was never ratified, the abandonment of the Turkish claim was
confirmed by Article 16 of the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923.
The Persian claim was also frequentlv pressed and was consistentlv
repudiated in strong terms by His Majesty's Government.
XIII.—1913-34
Exercise of Jurisdiction over Foreigners by British A gents in Bahrein
VS1. In virtue of the Convention of 1861 (paragraph 70 above) and of subse- p r ^ 8 R
quent delegations by the Sheikhs, the British Representative in Bahrein has for p 62
over 70 years exercised important judicial powers in the islands. The Sheikh in § 10 ' p - 63 -
1909-12 formally requested His Majesty's Government to exercise iurisdiction
over foreigners in Bahrein other than the subjects of Arab potentates An
• ^o ln V OUnci1 con f errm g such jurisdiction on 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. was made
in 1913. It was supplemented by a further Order in 1922. Since 1920 iurisdic
tion over all foreign subjects has rested with the British authorities within the
limits of the Orders in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. .
1 32. The Sheikh, on 14th May, 1914, undertook not to entertain any over- A itr}l Y r
tures for an oil concession save after consultation with 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. and No xVi m
with the approval of His Majesty's Government.
Undertakings secured from Ihn Saud, December 1915
• i 1 ^ 3 ' r. 111 , 19 , 15 nis Ma j est y' s Government, in entering into an Agreement ah oh vi
uit,! Ibn Saud, then ruler of Nejd, secured an undertaking from him " to refrain No 20 6-8-
trom all aggression on, or interference with the territories of . . . Bahrein