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‘Persian Gulf gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Précis of Katar [Qatar] affairs, 1873-1904.’ [9r] (17/92)
The record is made up of 1 volume (46 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
^ f With regard to the assertion that the Beni Hajir were acting in co-operation with Tur
kish authority ^ merely for the purpose of chastising a rebel tribe, it will be observed that this
statement is built on a previous misrepresentation. But the facts also were otherwise. It
was a notorious; undisguised fact, that the primary object of the Beni Rajir was, as on former
occasions, the attack and plunder of Bahrein. Else why should they have seized boats and
put to sea and plundered Bahrein craft ? It is somewhat surprising that Turkish authori-
ties should go so far as to avow a participation in the predatory acts of a thievish horde guilty
of at least one act of open piracy on the seas. 1 "
That in reality the Beni Hajir were instiorated by local Agents of Turkey to attempt
Bahrein and failing that to attack Zobarah seems quite clear, but it was probably not at first
contemplated to avow these proceedings openly.
e( The actual part taken by the Chief of Bahrein in the crisis is fully detailed in my reports
noted in the margin and accompaniments. I have
ri ? 0 » O '+i 03 |" 2 ? 9 'i 1159 " 2 j 5 -, aI1 u n ^ 2 " 242 ' no reason to think Sheik Esau interfered further
dated 3rd and llth September and 10th and ITth +1, ^ ^ j t \ • i c i. • 1 •
October 1874. than therein reported. Denial of his having count
enanced the Nairn would be equally out of place
with admission of his culpability as towards Turkey.
' f It is possible the Turkish Government when fully aware of the true state of the case
may not be as anxious as the
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
of Baghdad to assume the responsibility which must attach
to an avowal of having instigated the proceedings of the Beni Hajir, but if the latter are the
acknowledged Agents and dependents of the Turkish Government, and have avowedly acted
under its instructions, I would respectfully urge that the Turkish authorities should be held to
account for the robberies the Beni Hajir have already committed, and for any predatory acts
they may commit on the seas in the future.
u i would also take leave to point out that the presence of Nasir bin Mobarik on the sea
coast as a protege of the Turkish authorities is a standing menace to the existing Government
of Bahrein. That individual has been considered by the British Government as a pirate and
enemy, and it would perhaps not be thought unreasonable to demand that he should be
restrained from acting against interests which the British Government is concerned with.
u The chief cause of embarrassment as regards the maintenance of peace and neutrality
by sea between Bahrein and Katar lies in the present uncertainty as to the question with whom
responsibility rests. The various mainland Sheikhs may shelter themselves under Turkish
protection whilst the latter power has not formally assumed Government duties. Were the
responsibilities more decidedly fixed the constant inconvenient anxiety about Bahrein would
disappear."
22. On the same date Colonel Hoss reported to Government (No. 1433-306,
Political A, February 1875, Proceedings No. 323, December 1874) the reply of
the Chief of Bahrein to the communica
tion of Government of India's telegram of 10 th December, in which he stated
that the object of his sending help to Zobarah was to defend his own island,
not to encroach on his neighbours, and intimated his readiness to he guided by
the policy of Government.
23. Colonel Ross reported on 3rd April 1875 (No. 407-107) that the Chief of
1875. Bahrein persisted in declaring the whole
-p , . ,, - 0 _ c XT oor of Katar to be subject and tributary to
Political A, May 1875, Nos. 35i-366. -n i • x i « i i , - kt
Bahrein. In paragraph 2 of letter No.
Political a . May W6, No. 363. 1342-P., dated 10th May 1875. Colonel
Ross was directed to inform the Chief that:—
" His Excellency in Council observes with regret that the Chief still manifests a disposition
to entangle himself in the affairs of the mainland of Katar. He should now be made clearly
to understand that if he persists in a course opposed to the advice of the Government of India
and is thereby involved in complications on the mainland, the consequences will be upon himself,
and that the British Government will hold themselves free to take such measures with respect
to him as they may think necessary."
24. The purport of this letter was conveyed to the Chief by Lieutenant
Eraser, Political Assistant, in person. In reply, the Chief stated that he under
stood ^ "the orders of Government to prohibit interference on the mainland and
especially at Zobarah." He added that he had obeyed the order—
" The reason of our not interfering in the affairs of Zobarah at this time is simply obedience
to the orders of Government, not that our rights have become invalid or extinct/'
At the same time he sent his brother to make the following 1 requests to
Colonel Ross
"1. That the evacuation of Zobarah should be delayed till after the pearl fishery season, as
during this time all the trustworthy adherents of the Sheikh were absent, and the island was.
About this item
- Content
The volume, stamped ‘Confidential’ on the front cover, is part 1 (historical and political materials) of a précis of Qatar (spelt Katar throughout) affairs for the years 1873 to 1904. It was prepared by Judge Jerome Antony Saldanha of the Bombay Provincial Civil Service, and published in 1904 by the Government of India Foreign Department, Simla, India.
The main subjects of the précis, which is comprised chiefly of extracts from Government correspondence, run as follows:
- Turkish movements in Qatar, 1873; Chief of Bahrain (spelt Bahrein throughout) advised to keep aloof from complications in Qatar, 1873;
- British intervention refused to Chief of Debai [Dubai] in case robberies committed against vessels of his subjects on Qatar coast, 1873;
- Threatened attack on Bahrain and Qatar (Zobarah [Zubara]) by the Bedouin tribes of Beni Hajir, 1874;
- Complaints of Turkey about Chief of Bahrain’s encroachments in Qatar, 1874;
- The Beni Hajir attack Zubara and commit piracies, 1875;
- Aggressive policy of the Turks and establishment of a new Turkish province on the Arabian littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ;
- Plunder of a Bahrain boat by the Beni Hajir and an excessive contribution levied by the Chief of Bidaa [Al-Bidda] on British Indian traders residing there;
- Claims preferred by the Government of Basrah [Basra] on behalf of the inhabitants of Qatar against certain residents of Bahrain, 1876;
- Alleged ill-treatment of British Indian subjects, 1879;
- Piracies at Zubara – destruction of Zubara by Shaikh Jasim [Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī], 1878;
- Ill-treatment of Indian traders, 1879;
- Question of suppression of piracies on the Arab coast. Claims of the Turks to Odeid [’Odaid] (1871-81); previous history of ’Odaid, 1837-76;
- History of ’Odaid continued, question of Turkish jurisdiction on the Qatar coast, and suppression of piracies, 1878-81;
- Removal of section of the Al-bu-Kowareh tribe from Al-Bidda to Foweyrat [Fujairat], 1879;
- Threatened attack on Bahrain by Nasir-bin-Mobarik [Nasir bin Mubarak] and Shaikh Jāsim of Al-Bidda, 1881;
- Shaikh Jāsim’s desire to occupy ’Odaid, 1881;
- Policy as to the relations to be maintained with Shaikh Jāsim and the Turkish Government in Qatar, 1881;
- Ill-treatment of British subjects by Shaikh Jāsim and exaction of a fine from him, 1880-82;
- Protest of the Porte against British proceedings at Al-Bidda. British disclaimer of Turkish jurisdiction in Qatar, 1883;
- Shaikh Jāsim’s projected expedition against a branch of the Beji Hajirs in 1884;
- Fight between the Ejman [Ajman] and allied tribes on one side and Morah and Monasir tribes on the other, 1884;
- Disputes between Shaikh Jāsim and the Chief of Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi], Jāsim’s intentions to occupy ’Odaid and the ill-treatment of Bedouins at Al-Bidda, 1885-86;
- Outrages against Indian subjects under Jāsim’s instigation, and Shaikh Jāsim made to pay a fine, 1887;
- Protests of the Porte against British Government proceedings, 1888;
- Question of withdrawal of the Turkish garrison from Al-Bidda;
- Turkish expansion along the Arab coast and the policy of the British Government, 1888;
- Hostilities between Shaikh Jāsim and Shaikh Zaid [Zayed bin Khalifa] of Abu Dhabi, reported movements of the Chief of Jabal Shamer Ibn Rashid towards Oman in order to aid Shaikh Jāsim, 1888-89;
- Jāsim carrying munitions of war by sea, 1889;
- Turkish project of rebuilding Zubara, 1888;
- Turkish measures for establishing their jurisdiction on a firmer basis on the Arab coast. Increase of Turkish forces in Qatar, 1888;
- Intrigues of Jāsim against Abu Dhabi, 1889-90;
- Turkish projects for rebuilding Zubara and ’Odaid, 1890-91;
- Hostilities between Shaikh Jāsim and the Turks, 1891-93;
- British policy towards Jāsim during the hostilities. Chief of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, 1893;
- Question of Turkish jurisdiction in Qatar, 1893;
- Removal by Turkish authorities of the British flag from a boat at Al-Bidda, 1897;
- Occupation of Zubara by the Al-bin-Ali tribe with the support of the Turks and Shaikh Jāsim. Threatened attack of Bahrain, and the energetic measures taken to expel the settlement, 1895;
- Arab rising against the Turks in Qatar;
- Disturbances off the Qatar coast between the Amamera and Al-bin-Ali tribes, 1900;
- Piracies committed by the Beni Hajir off the Qatar coast, 1900;
- Reconsideration of our general policy on the Arab side of the Gulf;
- (1) Proposed British protectorate over the Chief of Qatar; (2) Aggressive action of the Porte in attempted to establish mudirates at ’Odaid, Wakra and Zubara, 1902-04.
The appendices are as follows:
- A. Memorandum on the causes of the hostility between Shaikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi and Shaikh Jāsim;
- B. Extract from Captain Daly’s draft letter to the address of 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , submitted for approval on 14 January 1901, relating to Qatar;
- C. Memorandum by Mr EC Block, dated 11 March 1903, about the Turkish claim over Qatar.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (46 folios)
- Arrangement
The contents of the précis are arranged in rough chronological order, and organised under a number of subheadings, with each paragraph numbered from 1 to 229. Three appendicies follow the main précis. There is a contents page at the front of the volume (f 5) which lists the subheadings with their corresponding paragraph numbers. The appendices are referenced using the volume’s pagination system.
- 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 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 View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/C243
- Title
- ‘Persian Gulf gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Précis of Katar [Qatar] affairs, 1873-1904.’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:17r, 18r:45v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence