'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part III)' [‎8r] (9/30)

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Gulf. Her Majesty's Government could never
permit that British interests and commerce should
suffer by its revival in consequence of their recog
nition of Turkish jurisdiction over certain parts of
the Arabian coast, and, if the state of things described
by Colonel Miles was allowed to continue, they
would be compelled to take such measures as might
be necessary for the protection of British subjects
and shipping in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . After com
menting on the misconduct of Abdullah Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and
the importance of appointing a competent successor
to Ahmed Bey, the lately deceased Commander of
the Turkish squadron in the Euphrates and the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Sir H. Layard concluded:—
" Should, however, the tribes on the Arabian
coast, over which the Porte claims jurisdiction, re
vert to those piratical habits from which they were
deterred by the action of the British authorities,
and should the safety of British shipping and
British subjects be again endangered by such
piratical attacks as are described in the accompany
ing documents, the Porte must alone be responsible
for the consequences."
Shortly afterwards, Abdullah Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was re
moved from his post, Zabet Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. being appointed
♦ India, Political, No. 119, dated I6tli in his place,* but no other result followed beyond
October 1879. an assurance from the Porte that the local authori
ties had been enjoined to vigilance, and that the
Turkish squadron would be reinforced by two
t Fi om Foreign Office, 11th October, 1879, additional ships.f
No. 822. On the 16th November 1879, consequent on a
telegram from Colonel Miles, reporting that a
British vessel, from Karachi, had been attacked and
plundered fifteen miles below Bussorah, one man
being killed, and two wounded. Sir H. Layard
again informed the Porte " that the neglect or in-
" ability of the Ottoman authorities to maintain
tc the police of their own waters in, the Persian
" Gulf may lead to results which it is greatly in the
" interest of the Porte to avoid."
Meanwhile, the whole of the papers bearing on
the question, together with this Office letter of the
17tli September 1879, had been referred by the
Foreign Office to the Law Officers of the Crown, with
a request that they would state whether, in their
opinion, " under the circumstances detailed in the
" correspondence, and in view of the unwillingness
" or inability of the Turkish Government to pre-
" vent outrages , on British subjects and British
" commerce in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. by piratical bands,
" organized in, and emanating from, territories
" under their authority and jurisdiction, the case
" was one in which Her, Majesty s Government
" would be justified in holding that the right of
" self-preservation was paramount to that of terri-
" torial inviolability, and might, consistently with
" the doctrines of international law on the subject,
" authorize the commanders of Her Majesty's ships
" to pursue the pirates and marauders in question
" in Turkish waters, and to destroy their strong-
J From Foreign Office, 13th December " holds on the Turkish mainland. +
J879, No. 961. 6 3 64 c
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