'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part II)' [‎156v] (20/45)

Bahrein, intimated to me that in such a measure
lies the only safety under present circumstances
for his own interests."
The Government of India ordered Colonel Ross
to desist from further action, either as regards the
piracies in which the Chief of Zobara was impli
cated, or as regards the attack on that place by the
Sheikh of Bidaa and Nasir bin Mobarik. As to the
former, they concurred with Colonel Ross s opinion
that the Chief had been sufliciently punished by
the retribution which had fallen upon him, and, as
to the latter, the expedition from Bidaa proceeded by
land, so that the Government of India was not con
cerned with it except so far as there was danger of
the Chief of Bahrein being entangled in the dis
pute—a contingency for which effectual provision
was made on the spot. They, however, directed
Colonel Ross to examine the position of Zobara in
making his general report upon the extent and
nature of the territorial jurisdiction of Turkey on
the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
• In a letter, No. 260, dated 27th November 1878,
Colonel Ross enclosed correspondence with Mr.
Melvill, Acting Commissioner in Sind. It appeared
that two boats—the 4t Harsingar" and the " Fut-
tehkar"—belonging to British subjects were at
tacked by pirates about two miles from Kateef, in
September. The "Harsingar" was plundered of
property to the value of Rs. 200; the *' Futtehkar "
lost nothing, but was fired into. Mr. Melviil
pressed for redress, as the sufferers were British
subjects. In reply, Colonel Ross informed him
that the offenders were Bedouin Arabs residing in
Turkish territory, that the offence appeared to have
l)een committed within Turkish territorial waters,
and that the matter had been brought to the notice of
the Turkish authorities through 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.
in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. .
At the latter end of December 1878*, Mansoor bin
Minakhir, a Sheikh of the Ejman tribe, joined with
Zaid bin Muhammad, a Turkish subject, of the
Beni Hajir, a ringleader in the piracies already
reported, and having forcibly seized a boat be
longing to a subject of Bahrein, put out to sea.
They attacked two boats in the neighbourhood of
Kateef, and carried off from one of them property
valued at Rs. 20,000. Ten boats conveying Turkish
soldiers from Ojair to Kateef were in sight, but on
being appealed to, declined to interfere. Colonel
Boss brought to notice the impunity enjoyed by
Zaid bin Muhammad and other pirates residing at
Zahran, within recognized Turkish jurisdiction, in
the vicinity of Kateef, through the apathy and in
difference of the Turkish authorities, and expressed
an opinion that the seizure of Zaid bin Muhammad
or his expulsion from Zahran was a measure of
primary necessity. The Government of India
thereupon desired 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. in Turkish
Arabia to urge the Turkish authorities either to
operate promptly against Zaid bin Muhammad or to
accept the alternative of British action. Instead
* Political, No. 55, dated
22nd May 1879.