'NEJD EXPEDITION PRECIS.' [‎69v] (9/68)

6 NEJD EXPEDITION PRECIS.
The ruling family are a branch of the T [ ttoobee
tribe with the patronymie "Al Subah/ I he
Bahrein family, it will be remembered, are also a
branch of the Uttoobees. Colonel Pelly was quite
right in stating* that the 'Indian Government
are not committed to interfere under trucial
engagements as between W ahabees, Kowaits, and
Turks/ But neither are we, except in regard
to Bahrein, committed to interfere under trucial
engagements, as between Turks, Kowaits, and
the trucial Chiefs. We are committed under the
Treaty only to interference as between the trucial
Chiefs themselves. The Treaty with Bahrein has
wider scope. The Chief of Bahrein agrees to
abstain from all maritime aggressions of every
description, so long as he receives the support of
the British Government against similar aggres
sions from the Chiefs and tribes of the Gulf;
he agrees to make known to the Resident, as
arbitrator, all aggressions and depredations which
may be designed by sea against him; f and the
British Resident engages that he will forthwith
take the necessary steps for obtaining reparation
for every injury proved to have been inflicted, or
in course of infliction, by sea upon Bahrein, or
upon its dependencies in this Gulf. 5 We are,
therefore, bound to interfere on behalf of Bahrein
should any attack by sea be made or designed ; in
regard to the other Chiefs, except in case of attack
by one subscribing Chief upon another, our
interference is matter of policy and not of obliga
tion,"
10. Explicit assurances of the Porte.
—On the 25th April, f Colonel Herbert
reported a rumour that, if the expedition
to Nejd was successful, it would eventually
be directed to the acquisition of Bahrein,
Muscat, and the Arab Coast. He request
ed instructions. Being asked his authority
for the statement, he replied that the re
port now generally believed at Bagdad,
and accorded with Turkish pretensions, as
reported in his letter of 16th March 1870.
That letter gave cover to a protest by
Midhut Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. on behalf of his Govern
ment against the proceedings which Colo
nel Pelly had, with the sanction of the
British Government, taken a short time
before at Bahrein. The Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. stated
that—
Bahrein and its dependencies are countries of the
Ottoman dominions, and the Government of those
localities appertains to the Kaim-Makamlek of
Nejd, subject to the Ottoman Government."
The protest was sent to the Secretary of
State under cover of a Secret despatch
No. 28 of 20th May 1870, from the Gov
ernment of India, with the remarks extract-
ed on the margin.
On 28th April, Colonel Herbert again
telegraphed as follows
r telegraphs repeatedly at my request
Otfl P S r 1 i ave P 08 *™ ^ranees from the
Ottoman Porte that they intend establishing
* Vide paragraph 8.
t Pages 45-46,
P ara 10.— We have already informed Your
brace that any disposition to admit the pretensions
fysia to supremacy over Bahrein would probably
^ ^ r viva L ot similar 0 ^olete claims on the
n™ ItllY" result ' which we foresaw, has
now actually been brought about; and as Your Grace
Mir :; v Vr Colonel Herbert ' s ietter
March which forms one of the enclosures of this
despatch, His Excellency Midhut Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Governor-
f'. *