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'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part II)' [‎157v] (22/45)

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The record is made up of 1 file (21 folios). It was created in 1 Sep 1879. It was written in English and French. 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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pirates at Zahran, and begged either for complete
protection or permission to attack his enemies on
sea. Colonel Ross considered the Chief's fears to
be well founded, and recommended that our ships of
war should be employed against the pirates. He
was desired to report his plans after consultation
with the naval officers on the spot.
Colonel Ross recommended the thorough ex
amination of the part of the coast infested by-
robber gangs, and the recovery of Bahrein vessels
in their possession. The pirates were to be prevented,
as far as possible, from getting boats, and he asked
that a British vessel of war should be stationed
temporarily at or near Bahrein. The Government
of India sanctioned these proposals on the under
standing that Colonel Ross's plans had been laid in
consultation with the naval officers, and that no
expedition would be undertaken on the mainland
beyond reach of the guns of the British vessels.
The two vessels stolen from Bahrein were ulti
mately recovered by Her Majesty's ship " Vulture,"
and early in April the Resident reported that
matters had quieted down, and that Captain
Durand and his escort might leave Bahrein.
The iDstructions above mentioned, which, read in
connection with others previously issued, authorized
naval action against pirates, whether within or be
yond Turkish territorial waters, were communicated
by Colonel Ross, on the 8th March last, to Com
mander Wodehouse, of Her Majesty's ship "Teazer."
The sequel is curious. Captain Wodehouse (19th
March)* requested the Admiral Commanding on
the East India Station to give him " instructions as
" to his wishes on the subject." Admiral Corbett
(2nd April) applied to the Admiralty "for their
" Lordships' instructions." Their Lordships (2nd
May) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs to cause them to be informed whether it
was "the desire of Her Majesty's Government that
14 the course desired by the Indian Government
" should be adopted." The Foreign Office (16th
May)t intimated to this Office that, in the absence
of further^ explanations, Lord Salisbury felt some
difficulty in expressing his concurrence in the
measures proposed. His Lordship apprehended
that, in the absence of treaty stipulations, Her
Majesty's ships could only deal with piracy "jure
gentium" i. e., piracy committed on the high seas
beyond the territorial waters of Turkey, and that
any expeditions by them on the mainland, although
within reach of the guns of Her Majesty's ships,
might be the subject of just remonstrance on the
part of the Turkish Government. Finally, the Ad
miralty^ acting, it would appear, on the views of
the Foreign Office, instructed the Commander-
in-Chief on the East India Station that, until
further instructions were received, "no hostile
" action should be taken within Turkish territory
<c or its waters, without the consent or the co-
" operation of the Turkish authorities."
As matters stand, therefore, there being, as will
* Letter from Admiralty,
2nd May 1879, No. 331.
f No. 370.
J Letter dated 22nd
May 1879, No. 392.

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Content

A memorandum, written by Adolphus Warburton Moore, Assistant Secretary of the Political and Secret Department of the 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. , 1 September 1879.

The document is a continuation of ' Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part I)' (IOR/L/PS/18/B19/1) and broadly addresses the same issues, namely, what to do about Turkish claims to sovereignty along the southern coast of the Gulf that could potentially impinge on Britain's treaty commitments with local rulers and their security responsibilities at sea (the suppression of piracy), and whether to come to some kind of comprehensive arrangement with the Ottoman Government to settle the matter. To support this, the document gives a history of recent affairs in the region, making extensive use of correspondence and memoranda mostly written between 1874 and 1879. The principal correspondents are from the Government of India, the Foreign Office, the 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. , and various political and diplomatic offices in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , 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. , and Constantinople. The matters covered by the document concern events at Bahrein [Bahrain], Guttur [Qatar] - including Zobarah [Al Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. ], Odeid [al-‘Udaid], and El Bidaa [Doha] - Lahsa [al-Hasa], and the Trucial states A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .

The memorandum concludes by outlining the position of the Foreign Office, the Government of India, and the 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. (represented by the author) on the following four matters:

1. The status of Odeid;

2. The need to better define areas of responsibility and jurisdiction with the Porte, and whether to hold them responsible for order along the coast under their authority;

3. A revision of Britain's treaties with Bahrain, the Trucial chiefs, and Muscat;

4. The arrangement of Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. business between the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. and the Baghdad Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .

The author quotes extensively from the correspondence and other sources, notes on which are to be found in the margin throughout.

Extent and format
1 file (21 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 148 and terminates at folio 168, as it is part of a larger physical volume; 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. The main foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the 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.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part II)' [‎157v] (22/45), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B19/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023557944.0x000018> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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