'Sirri Island Occupation by the Persian Govt. 1887-1902' [‎165r] (336/469)

Question of the status of the Island of Sird.
No. 53, dated Bushire, the Slst May 1895.
From— Colonel F. A. Wilson , 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
In continuation of correspondence ending with Foreisrn Department
endorsement No. 376-E., dated the 18th February 1895, I have the honour to
tor ward, for the information of the Government of India, copy of my letter of
this date to Her Majesty's Minister at Tehran, and of its enclosure, beino* a
memorandum dealing with the reply of the Persian Government to the note
trom Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires of 11th September 1894 in regard to the
Island of Sirri.
Dated Bushire, the^ j May 1895.
From Colonel F. A. Wilson , Political Besident, Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To— His Excellency Sir Mortimer Durand , K.C.S .L, K.C.I.E, Her Majesty's
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. at the Court of His
Imperial Majesty the Shah, Tehran.
In continuation of correspondence ending with Mr. Conyngham Green's
despatch No. 19, dated 16th November 1894, and in accordance with Your
Excellency's telegraphic instructions, I have the honour to forward herewith
a memorandum dealing with the reply of Persian Government to the note from
Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires of 11th September 1894 in regard to the
Island of Sirri.
MEMORANDUM.
In a reply dated 7th Jamad I 1312 (6th November 1894) to the note by
Her Britannic Majesty's Charge d'Affaires of 11th September 1894, the
Persian Government has set forth certain arguments in support of its claim
to the Island of Sirri.
His Highness the Sadr Azam, basing the Persian claim to the island upon
the constant exercise of jurisdiction even when Joasmee Sheikhs have not been
Governors of Lingah, slates, " for example when Saad-ul-Mulk * * * *
abovementioned Island." This must refer to the period when the administra
tion of Lingah and Bunder Abbas having been separated from that of Fars-
Saad-ul-Mulk (as Muhammad Hassan Khan) was appointed deputy for the
administration under the Amin-es-Sultan. Saad-ul-Mulk held this charge from
June 1883 to March 1884, or about 9 months, in which short period, proof of an
alleged long established jurisdiction can hardly be found. And it was about the
end of this period that Sheikh Yusuf, who was the actual Governor of Lingah
from 1878 till his death in 1885, wrote on 1st Jamad II 1301 (29th March
1884) to the Chief of E-as-el-Khymah, fully admitting the possession of the
Island of Tamb by the Joasmees. This possession was also admitted by
Khalifah-bin-Saeed and All-bin-Khalifah, the predecessors of Sheikh Yusuf, as
Chiefs or Governors* of Lingah.
With regard to the allegation that Sheikh Yusuf farmed the revenues of
Slrri from the Saad-ul-Mulk, I would observe that Sheikh Yusuf himself held
the Governorship of Lingah for six or seven years, during which he would in
natural course, according to the view of the British Government, be concerned
with the administration of the Island on behalf of the Joasmees. The
necessity for farming the Island revenues from the Saad-ul-Mulk towards the
close of his period of authority is difficult to understand.
Again the circumstances attending the assertion of Persian authority over
the Island, and the mode In which it was effected in 1887, certainly do not
point to a long established and well recognized possession, which had been
effectively exercised by the lease of the revenues in years immediately pre-
S E—79-85—Nov. 1