‘File 21/1 I Zubarah’ [139r] (282/474)
The record is made up of 1 volume (230 folios). It was created in 21 Jun 1944-15 Jun 1947. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.
Translation of letter dated the 3rd Rabi II, 1366,
(23rd February, 1947), from the Shaikh of Qatar to the
political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
, Bahrain. /
After compliments:
\ i I /
V V
n\
I thank you very much for your letter No.c/187
dated the 13th February, 1947 (23rd Rabi al-Awwal, 1366).
I fully appreciate your interest in your efforts to improve
relations among neighbouring States, for which efforts I am
sure you will be ^Exa&Kd praised because of your intention
to take into consideration the interest of both parties.
For this, you deserve the best thanks and the highest con
sideration. But you are fully aware that I have done my
best to achieve this object and carried out all in my power
to link up the ties of unity and friendliness. But have
such efforts been expended by the other party? O' Your
Excellency, you realise that the pressure exerted by Bahrain
on Qatar is very severe, and it has been increasing in
severity. Qatar subjects are facing difficulties which
are not present in other cases. They do not receive in
Bahrain the same facilities as other countries have been
receiving to the extent that the transhipments granted to
others are refused to them, and the goods destined for
abroad are not allowed (shipment) for Qatar at a time when
they are allowed for any destination. All this implies that
the Bahrain attitude towards us is not friendly. Besides.
Bahrain has opened its gates to all those persons who would
come to it from the Qatar peoples and tribes, welcoming them
and endeavouring by every way of enticement and propaganda,
while we are keeping patience, and because of our good
intention, and our appreciation of the freedom of the indi
viduals, we have not complained to Your Excellency. As
regards what Shaikh Salman has told you about the al-Bu-Rumaih,
Your Excellency is aware that they have emigrated from
Bahrain with the knowledge, consent and permission of shaikh
Salman, and without our asking or inviting them; nor had we
any knowledge about them. They arrived in Qatar as guests,
and Your Excellency understands the Arab customs and their
usual practices, such as welcome and hospitality. And when
they expressed their desire to settle, we did not consider
it proper to shut the door in the face of a noble tribe
arrived as a guest. In pursuance of the customs, we have
allowed them to settle like other settlers, without meaning
any harm. By my doing so I cannot find any cause to trouble
Shaikh Salman, so long as he himself had allowed them to
migrate. We are in the 20th century, and under the super
vision of noblemen who sacrificed their blood for the xxMfi
sake of democracy and freedom. If Your Excellency would
make enquiries, you would find that some of the Qatar
tribes and people left Qatar and settled in Bahrain, where
it pleased them to settle and where they were well received,
in future, if Shaikh Salman wishes us to adopt a definite
procedure necessitated by circumstances, and it be under
your supervision, we are prepared to come to an agreement
on mutual basis. Should this proposal appeal to your Excellency
and Shaikh Salman, I would put up my proposal on which the
idea of reciprocality will be based.
Usual ending.
About this item
- Content
The volume comprises correspondence concerning the ongoing dispute between the Rulers of Bahrain and Qatar over the sovereignty of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. and the surrounding area on the Qatar Peninsula. The principal correspondents in the file are: the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Cornelius James Pelly; Lieutenant-Colonel Arnold Crawshaw Galloway), the 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel William Rupert Hay), the Ruler of Bahrain (Sheikh Salmān bin Ḥamad Āl Khalīfah), and the Ruler of Qatar (Sheikh ‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī).
The volume includes:
- an initial exchange of letters between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and the Rulers of Bahrain and Qatar, between February and July 1945, relating to the Ruler of Bahrain’s complaints that some of his subjects had gone to a place called Bruk on the Qatar Peninsula (near Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. ) to collect wood, and had been harassed by men associated with the Ruler of Qatar (ff 2-41). Underlying the dispute are the differing interpretations of the two Rulers to the agreement, signed by them in June 1944, to restore friendly relations between the states of Bahrain and Qatar, and to restore conditions at Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. to what they had been prior to 1936;
- correspondence between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and 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. , relating to Bahrain-Qatar relations and the 1944 agreement, including: comment on the vagaries of the 1944 agreement (ff 61-63); the difficulties encountered in the handing over of the role of Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. from one individual to another; the historical context of Bahrain-Qatar relations, including a note, prepared by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Galloway) on the history of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. , up to the present day (ff 100-107); discussion over the possibility of requesting the Ruler of Qatar to demolish his fort at Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. ;
- ongoing correspondence amid a stalemate in the disagreement over Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. , including: the imposition by the Qatar Customs Officer of export duties on limestone shipped from Qatar to Bahrain (ff 50-54); the Ruler of Bahrain’s agreement that the Al Bu Rumaih tribe be allowed to emigrate from Bahrain to Qatar (ff 95-96); the dispatch of a deputation to Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. by the Ruler of Qatar; continued letters, some enclosing petitions, from the Ruler of Bahrain, making his historical claim to Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. (ff 125-138);
- correspondence relating to an incident in early 1947, in which an individual from the Al Bu Rumaih tribe, on returning to Qatar, was arrested and imprisoned by the Ruler of Bahrain (ff 167-204). An attempt by the Assistant Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Captain Hugh Dunstan Rance) to intervene in the matter in the Political Agent’s absence, provoked a strong complaint from the Ruler of Bahrain, which in turn brought a rebuke from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Pelly) on his return. In correspondence exchanged with the 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. in the wake of the incident, Pelly suggests that Arab rulers, including the Ruler of Bahrain, are beginning to challenge British orders, in light of Britain’s ‘recessive’ policy in Egypt and India (ff 203-204).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (230 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the volume (ff 214-232) mirror the chronological arrangement. Letters in Arabic are generally immediately preceded by English translations prepared by Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. staff.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 235; 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 ff 4-213; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
Pagination: the file notes at the back (ff 214-232) have been paginated using pencil.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/605
- Title
- ‘File 21/1 I Zubarah’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:4v, 6r:8v, 10r:10v, 12r:13v, 17r:17v, 19r:22v, 24r:24v, 26r:26v, 28r:28v, 33r:34v, 36r:38v, 41r:48v, 52r:53v, 55r:55v, 57r:57v, 60r:63v, 65r:91v, 93r:98v, 100r:126v, 129r:133v, 139r:139v, 141r:141v, 143r:151v, 153r:154v, 156r:156v, 158r:160v, 162r:162v, 165r:165v, 168r:175v, 177r:189v, 191r:191v, 193r:197v, 199r:208v, 210r:234v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence