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'File 22/33 TANB ISLAND' [14r] (27/78)
The record is made up of 1 file (37 folios). It was created in 27 Oct 1948-18 Nov 1949. 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.
- 2 - et>
A further seven Indians and two Persians of
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
Lighting Service live in the lightouse.
Dwellings. There are sone 30 small houses on the Southern
shore, in one of which lives Shaikh Mahmud bin Muhammad, a
man of 65 years who rules the Island on behalf of the Shaikh
of Has al Khaimah.
Boats Visiting. There were no boats at Tamb at the time of
my visit and I gather that dhows and launches only occasionally
lie off Tamb for shelter in case of storms. These boats may
belong to any of the Gulf Littoral States. Their only contact
with the shore is occasionally to fetch local water (which is
exceptionally good)^ or to purchase by barter such provisions
as the Island can supply. There is nothing to suggest that
Tamb is particularly used for shelter by craft engaged in
smuggling, nor are there any buildings likely to be used as
godowns nor, even, is there a bazaar. In fact, the obivous
poverty of Shaikh Mahmud and of his people would appear to
destroy any suggestion that Tamb is a smuggles base. No
Persians ever visit Tarab.
5. I advised Shaikh Saqr bin Muhammad to be vigilant
in maintaining his rights in Tamb. He has not visited the
Island for some years and seems to be somewhat apathetic about
it. I suggested to him that we might one day visit Tarab
together and he seemed pleased with the idea. I would propose
that on some future occasion, when a warship is in the
vicinity of Has al Khaimah, it might take the Shaikh to visit
Tamb, and that his visit might be mentioned by our publicity
services, if that appears desirable at the time.
6. In general, the Persian contention regarding
smuggling would appear to be completely without foundation and
the fact that the Islands are inhabited by Arabs and not
Persians, would seem further to justify the maintenance of the
status quo.
7. H.M.G. LOCH ^UOICH visited both Islands on about
17th January 1949.
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence about Arab sovereignty and occupation of the Gulf islands of Tanb (also spelt Tamb, Tunb), Nabiyu Tunb, Abu Musa (also spelt Bu Musa) and Sir Bu Na’air (also spelt Sir Bunair) in the light of a renewed territorial claim by Iran (formerly Persia) in 1948. The main correspondents are Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Rupert Hay, 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. , Bahrain; Cornelius James Pelly, 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; Patrick Desmond Stobart, Political Officer Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , Sharjah and officials at the Foreign Office, London.
The file includes two similar reports dated January 1949. One report is of a visit to the islands of Abu Musa and Tanb, both under the rule of the Shaikh of Ras al Khaimah [Ra’s al-Khaymah], by the Political Officer Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. . The other report is of a visit to the islands of Abu Musa and Sir Bu Na’air, by G.F.M. Best, Commander, Royal Navy aboard H.M.S. Loch Quoich , describing their population, economy and any evidence of smuggling or Persian occupation. There is also an English translation of an extract from an article published in the Tehran newspaper ‘Tirhan-I-Musavvar’, reporting a public disturbance between Arabs and Persians in Bahrain and also Arab aggression against the Persian islands of Tanb and Abu Musa in October 1949. The file ends with a few British naval reports, together with an English translation of a letter of thanks from Shaikh Saqr bin Muhammad the Ruler of Ras al Khaimah, about the removal of a Persian flag from the island of Nabiyu Tunb, by the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , in September and October 1949.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (37 folios)
- Arrangement
File papers are arranged more or less chronologically. Some items of correspondence are either preceded or followed by enclosures of an earlier date.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) starts on the outside front cover (f 1) and ends on the inside back cover (f 39). The 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 present in parallel between ff 2-38. These numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/625
- Title
- 'File 22/33 TANB ISLAND'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:38v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence