Skip to item: of 30
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part III)' [‎9v] (12/30)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (15 folios). It was created in 2 Dec 1881. It was written in English. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

12
ment could be effected on this point, and the
discussion might seriously interfere with the con
clusion of any arrangement whatever.
"2. The views of Her Majesty s Government
upon the matter are, however, decided. Wherever
the Turkish' authority is at the present time
actually and firmly established upon the coast
they are ready to recognize it, and would giaclly
see it accompanied by a regular and civilized
administration.
" 3, On the other hand, they see no advantage
to the Porte, and only detriment to other countries,
in vague claims of jurisdiction which have no
practical enforcement, and serve merely as a pro
tection for lawlessness and aggression on the part
of the inhabitants of the territories so claimed.
The Porte must not be surprised to find such
claims ignored or contested, if the necessity should
arise, and if it be found that asserted territorial
rights are not justified and proved by a per
formance of the corresponding duty of control.
"4. Further, as regards Muscat, Bahrein, and
the possessions of the Trucial Chiefs on the coast
between Odeid and Ras-El-Khymah, Her Majesty s
Government, while they think it unnecessary to
seek for any formal declaration from the Porte,
renouncing all claims of sovereignty over those
territories^ are in no way disposed to recede from
their repeated denial of those claims, and they con
sider themselves bound by their treaty engage
ments with the several Chiefs to resist any attempt,
whether direct or indirect, to give them practical
effect.
"5. It may be desirable that, in discussing the
proposals contained in my Despatch above referred
to with the Turkish Ministers, you should give ex
pression to those considerations, in order to show
how far the arrangement is intended to extend,
and what may be the possible consequence of
refusing it.
" 6. It may, however, appear to you to be ad
visable to abstain from any attempt at an arrange
ment with the Porte of the kind mentioned, and
that it would be better simply to leave to Her
Majesty's naval officers a certain discretion as to
visiting the waters of the El Hassa coast for police
purposes, obtaining the previous consent of the
local authorities, whenever possible, and taking the
risk of remonstrance in other cases. This method
of procedure has some recommendation on account
of the known disposition of the Porte tacitly to con
cede in practice much to which its official consent
would never be given. But it is open to serious ob
jection on other grounds. An act of indiscretion,
or a distorted report from a Turkish official, might
at any time be made use of to create illwill and to
embarrass the course of an important negotiation
upon other subjects.
" 7. Still, if your Excellency should think it ex
pedient to suspend action upon the instructions
contained in my Despatch, you are at liberty to do

About this item

Content

A printed memorandum written and compiled by Adolphus Warburton Moore for 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. , and dated 2 December 1881.

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 II)' (IOR/L/PS/18/B19/2) and broadly addresses the same issues, namely, how to respond toTurkish claims to sovereignty along the southern coast of the Gulf that could potentially impinge on Britain's commitments with local rulers (in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ) and their security responsibilities at sea (the suppression of piracy).

The document summarises correspondence from the previous two years (1879-1881) that had dealt with the matter, beginning with an outline of the opinions of officials from the main departments and institutions involved: 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. (whose opinion Warburton represents). Other correspondents include officials from the Residencies and Agencies in both the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and 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. , as well as the Ambassador at Constantinople.

The documents cover several topics, including:

  • The threat to Bahrain from the Beni Hajir tribe and Ottoman ambitions to extend their sovereignty to the island, including the Turkish plan to build a coal depot on the island as a pretext to further political involvement;
  • Questions of how to police the waters under Turkish authority;
  • How Britain should deal with Shaikh Jasim [Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thāni] of El Bidaa [Doha];
  • Turkish claims to parts of the coast of Guttur [Qatar].

The document concludes with the perceived outcomes of the discussions, including closer ties with the ruler of Bahrain, who, in December 1880, agreed not to open relations with any foreign power other than Britain.

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 (15 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation for this description commences at folio 4 and terminates at folio 18, 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 4-197; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the bottom right corner of each folio.

Pagination: the document also has an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part III)' [‎9v] (12/30), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B19/3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023807397.0x00000d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023807397.0x00000d">'Persian Gulf - Turkish jurisdiction along the Arabian coast (Part III)' [&lrm;9v] (12/30)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023807397.0x00000d">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000788.0x0003dd/IOR_L_PS_18_B19_3_0012.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000788.0x0003dd/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image