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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.’ [‎138] (150/160)

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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138
CHAPTER ELEVENTH.
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.
514. With reference to the designs of Turkey to establish a supremacy
oyer Bahrein, the Bombay Gouernment in 1847 informed the Resident that
Bahrein Precis naee 4 is obviously desireable to exclude (IS
much as possible all interference, by
foreign powers, in the affairs of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , since it is only by retaining
the supreme authority in its own hands that the British Government can hope
to secure the permanpnce of the objects it has gained in that quarter at such a
large expense." (Letter No. 337, dated 31st July 1847.)
The Board of Directors agreed with the Bomboy Governments in thinking
that any attempts upon Bahrein ought to be resisted by the British naval
force in that Gulf, and ice authorize you to inform Major Rennel {the Mesideni)
accordingly " (Despatch dated 6th October 1904).
5i4-A. In 1861, the Turkish Governor General of Baghdad wanted to
know by what right we have had bombarded Daraaum, a place which, as lying
within the territory of " I'eysal Beg, the Eaimmakam of Nejd," was " part of
Turkish protest against British proceedings in the hereditary doroinians of the Sultan."
1861, paragraph 45 ante. To wllich Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-
General at Baghdad replied that we had hitherto " always maintained direct
relations with Amir Fey sal as well as with all the Chief's and Principalities
situated on the shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; that our pacific policy in the
Gulf ims well known, and that in the prosecution of that policy we had never
acknowledged the authority or jurisdiction of any other State—an authority
or jurisdiction, moreover which assuredly the. Porte neither does exercise nor
has ever exercised in that quarter" In reporting this correspondence to Her
Britannic Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople the Consul-General wrote
as follows
Although it may not be detained that, since the Egyptian invasion of Nejd in 1839-40,
Jmir Fey sal has remained tributary to the Turkish authorities of Mecca, his tribute being
regarded probably as an ofienng to the head of the religion, it is certain that the Forie has
never exercised any jurisdiction, or attempted to extend its authority over that cuuntry.
614-B. We had then to deal with the Turkish expedition in April 1871.
Colonel Felly, then Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , was told that if the Arabs
took part in the quarrel (between the Turks and the Wahabis) he should limit
his action strictly to maintaining the maritime peace. He then enquired
whether the Government of India desired him to use any influence towards
preventing the Trucial Chiefs from aiding the Wahabis against the Turks, or in
any way moving by sea, and what reply he should give to the Trucial Chiefs
if, while continuing to observe the maritime peace, they asked whether the
British Go'/eminent would protect them against an attack from the Turks by
sea. Colonel Pelly also suggested that it would be advisable to intimate to the
Turkish authorities our engagements with the Trucial Chiefs, as it was suspect
ed the Turks might have an eye on Bahrein.
515. On 25th April 1871—
" Colonel Herbert reported a rumour that if the expedition to Nejd was successful, it
would eventually be directed to the acquisition of Bahrein, Maskat, and the Arab coast.'"
516. On 28th April Colonel Herbert again telegraphed as follows :—
" Ambassador telegraphs repeatedly at my request the following: 4 1 have positive
assurances from the Ottoman Porte that they intend establishing supremacy over bahrein,
AIaskat } and independent tribes of Soutfiern Arabia, and that no special attack is contemplated
against them V
517. Colonel Herbert's telegram of the 25th regarding the rumoured inten
tions of the expedition was reported cn the 28th to the Secretary of State, who
was asked w r hether an assurance oouid not be obtained from the Turkish Gov
ernment that the expedition had no other object than the settlement of the
affairs of Nejd. The Secretary of State replied :—
" Her Majesty 's Government have received assurances from Constantinople that Turkish
Government have no such designs as those mentioned'*

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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.

Written in
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.’ [‎138] (150/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x000098> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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