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‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎47] (59/160)

The record is made up of 1 volume (80 folios). It was created in 1904. 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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47
been pushed on to Ilasa from Katif and Ojair. Colonel Felly's estimate of
the strength of the Turkish force was as follows : —
In the Fort at Katif, of whom perhaps 150 sick ... ... 500
At Ojair ... ... ... ... ... 150
Reinforcement to Lahsa ... ... ... 225
! 1 Head-quarters in and around the forts of Lahsa, of whom 1,000 sick 2 ,500
Total strength ... 3,400
Deduct sick ... 1,150
Effective ... &,500
This he thought was perhaps over the mark. The Arab Contingent was
about 2,000 men. Katar was being overrun by the Bedouins, who were also
plundering between Ojair and Hasa. The Chief of Bahrein had ordered the
Bedouins who were on the island to leave the place, and most of them had crossed
over to Katar. Fereck Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. had been raising recruits in Hasa and had got about
900 men at 6 dollars a month. It was said that Fereck Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. had invited
Saud to come to Hasa but the latter refused to trust himself there.
169. In September Colonel Pelly announced a report that Abdullah was
not killed, but had reached the Turkish camps at Hasa. He certainly did reach
the Turkish camp eventually, but when and how he got there is quite uncertain.
News of his sudden death, not in action this time, was current in Katar in the
end of September. Saud was determined to fight, and was preparing to march
from Eiadh on Hasa. The Turks had received reinforcements at Katif.
No movements appear to have taken place during October, but on the 22nd
November Colonel Pelly reported:—
" So far as I can gather (and requesting always that all information based on native
report mav Ije received with cu.ution), the position of affairs is somewhat as iollows i -
It appears that Saood having approached Lahsa precipitated an action ; and alter
some partial success was defeated by the Tukrish force at Lahsa.
"Snd. That Saood then retired on Gwattur followed by a considerable number of
bedouins, who have now intimated to Mahomed bin Tanee and other Gwuttur Chiefs that
they must elect between supplying the wants of Bedouins or having their towns or territory
pillaged. On receipt of this news I gave our Indian subjects in Gwattur the usual warning.
That Saud has sent Envoys to the Bahrein Chief in view to his receving asylum
in the event of necessity. The Bahrein Chief communicated with me on this subject, and my
advice to him has been that Saud should refrain from approaching the island in order to
prevent any semblance of a breach of absolute neutrality on the part of Bahrein. Copies of
the Chief's letter and of my reply are appended.
"4^. It appears that the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad left the river about the 9th or 10th instant,
proceeded to Koweit, passed a day there, and then came on with three steamers and a consider
able body of troops to Katif, where he arrived about the 13th or 14th instant; that he is
now at Katif with bis troops encamped on the plain, as Katif, like Bahrein, is plagued at
this season by virulent fever, which is said to have caused much loss to the Turkish force, after
it had ceased to suffer from cholera.
« §ti % It is stated to be the intention of the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to proceed almost immediately inland
to Lahsa' but whether with the object of consolidating the Government at that point, or of
forwarding the expedition towards Riadh, does not appear. Rumour, however, alleges that
the Turkish authorities have issued a document, notifying the intention of the Turkish Govern
ment to assume direct control over Katif and Lahsa to the exclusion of the Wahabee dynasty.
It is, I think, to be borne in mind that the Turkish Expedition has not as yet entered the
districts of Nejd, strictly so called/'
170. On the same day Colonel Pelly wrote that a messenger sent to
observe matters at Katif had ascertained, said Colonel Pelly—
"that the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad embarked last night at Katif for Ojair, taking on board with
him an escort of some three hundred men; and that it is the intention of the Pasba to proceed

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Content

Part 1 of a Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. gazetteer of historical and political materials, a précis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs. The précis was prepared by Jerome Antony Saldanha, whose preface (under which his surname is erroneously spelt Saldana) is dated 25 November 1904, and published by the Government of India Foreign Deptartment, Simla, India.

The preface is an historical outline of the struggle for political dominance in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , including Portuguese, British, Wahabi [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] and Turkish expansion. The chapters (titles shown in italics) deal with the subject in an roughly chronological fashion:

1. Early history of Hasa and Katif , including: references to the area in Arabic writing; the first known Arab colonists; and early references to the area in British (East India Company) records;

2. Conquest of Hasa by the Wahabis and Turkish expeditions into Nejd [Najd] and Hasa, and their results 1800-1865 , including: conquest of the area by the Wahabis; Turkish expeditions to the area, 1811-19 and 1836-40; Amir Feysal’s [Fayṣal ibn Turki Āl Sa‘ūd] nominal dependence on Turkey, 1855; troubles in Katif, 1859-62; Turkish protest against British proceedings at Damaum [Dammām], 1862; the British war against Amir Feysal, 1865-66; obsolete title of award of Arabia by an Abbasid caliph to the Ottoman Porte; Ottoman ambitions in Arabia (Holy Ottoman Empire);

3. Turkish expedition to Nejd and Hasa, 1871-72 , including: origins of the expedition; intelligence from 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. , Colonel Lewis Pelly; British policy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and effects of the Turkish expedition on that policy; Turkish assurances to Britain, communicated to Bahrain (spelt Bahrein throughout) by Pelly; Turkish promise of non-interference with the rulers of the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ; narrative of the events leading up to and including the landing of the expeditionary force in Nejd; Turkish designs on Katar [Qatar], and their hoisting of the Turkish flag at Budaa [Al-Bidda]; Turkish naval activity in the Gulf, and Britain’s naval response; murder of a suspected Turkish messenger at Bahrain; reasons for the non-interference of the British Government in operations on land; further narrative of the expedition and affairs in Nejd; evidence of Turkish designs on Bahrain; Turkish assurances; relations between Turkey and Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi]; close of the Turkish expedition;

4. Internal affairs of Hasa and Katif, 1872-1904 , including: administration and internal organisation; and a list of governors at Hasa, including events of significance occurring during their rule;

5. Survey of the Katif coast, 1873-74 , including: British intentions and permission gained from the Ottoman Porte; complaints of British survey officers landing on the Nejd coast; written permission to land to undertake surveying.

6. Increase of Turkish military and naval forces in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Turkish policy , including: a memorandum by Captain T Doughty on the state of affairs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ;

7. (1) Trade Relations of Hindu and other traders of Bahrain with Katif, and their disabilities , and (2) Proposal appointment of a consular officer at Katif ;

8. Piracies , including: piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878; ; revolt in Hasa and piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878-81; Turkish responsibilities and jurisdiction for the purpose of suppressing piracies in Katif waters, 1878-81; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1883; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1886; piracies in 1887-88; piracies in 1891-92; piracies in 1899-1900; piracies in 1902 and the proposal of the Chief of Bahrain to maintain an armed dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. for the pursuit of pirates, 1902-03;

9. Murder of Sheikh Selman-bin-Diaij-el-Khalifa [Shaikh Salman bin Diaj Āl Khalīfah] , a cousin of the Chief of Bahrain and his party about 40 miles south of Katif. Question of satisfaction and compensation for it ;

10. Turkish designs on Oman and the rest of the East Arabian Littoral, 1888-1899 ;

11. Summary of British declarations against Turkish encroachments in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and of the Porte’s assurances, 1871-1904 .

The cover of volume, on which the title is printed, also has a number of different pencil and pen annotations, marking former external references or numbering systems (‘P.2557/29’, ‘No.5’, ‘C238’).

Extent and format
1 volume (80 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged into eleven chapters, preceded by a preface. Each chapter is organised by subheadings, and its paragraphs numbered. The paragraph numbers are continuous throughout the whole volume, beginning on 1 at the start of the first chapter, and ending on 553/553A at the end of the eleventh chapter. A contents page at the front of the volume (ff.4-5) lists the chapters by their headings and subheadings, with each referring to paragraph, rather than page, numbers.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence, with page numbers located top and centre of each page.

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English in Latin script
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‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎47] (59/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x00003d> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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