File 395/1908 Pt 2 'Persian Gulf: Katif; Disturbances in 1908' [‎39r] (73/146)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government,]
ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
September 14.]
Section 1.
No. 1.
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(N 549 ) ^ G Lowther t0 Sir Edward Grey.—{Received September 14.)
^ r > ^ Constantinople, September 8, 1908.
14AVrj the lionour to forward herewith a despatch from His Majesty’s Consul at
Jlussorah, reporting on the disturbances at El Katif.
I have, &c.
(Signed) GERARD LOWTHER.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Consul Geary to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 6(X)
Sir, Bussorah, August 15, 1908.
WITH reference to my telegram No. 53 of the 12th instant, I have the honour to
report to your Excellency that 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. and Consul-General at Bushire
sent me a telegram on the 11th instant, to be communicated to the Senior Naval Officer,
who is at present at Bussorah, in command of His Majesty’s ship “ Sphinx.” In this
he reported that the population of Katif, who are protected by a small and quite
inadequate garrison, are in a most precarious position, as the town is surrounded by
Bedouins, whose number is estimated at 2 ; 000. Unless reinforcements arrived it was
anticipated that the whole population might be massacred. In these circumstances
His Majesty’s ship “ Lapwing ” took up her position as near Katif as possible, but
owing to the peculiar position of the town no gun-boat can come within range or nearer
than 6 miles of the buildings. I am now told that His Majesty’s ship “ Redbreast ” is
also in readiness to render assistance if required.
I thought it well to interview the Vali of Bussorah, as the Kaimakam of Katif is
subordinate to Hassan Bey. He appeared to welcome our action in the matter, and
told me that they were preparing to send reinforcements from here either in the
gun-boat “ Kilid-el-Behar ” or in a hired lighter, there being a difference of opinion on
this point between the military and civil authorities. The Turkish gun-boat draws
12 feet, and cannot approach nearer to Katif than Rais Tenora. Here the soldiers
must be landed in boats, and in the process might be exposed to the fire of the Arabs
under Jasin-bin-Mohamed Abdul Wahab, who holds Darin, and is in league with the
besiegers.
He asked me whether it would be possible to obtain the assistance of the Govern
ment launch, which is at the disposal of 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. at Bahrein. I told him
that I could give him no information on this matter without instructions from higher
authorities. Major Cox, in his telegram, had mentioned that the Government of India
were being asked how far we could proceed in affording assistance to the Turks in
view of our important commercial interests.
A despatch from Bahrein, subsequent to the telegram from Bushire, emphasizes
the urgency of the case, and I pressed the Vali to dispatch reinforcements immediately.
Although he has promised to do so, I am somewhat distrustful, as there are only about
250 soldiers in Bussorah, and the Vali is not desirous of denuding the town of troops.
This deficiency is likely to be repaired by the arrival of reinforcements from Bagdad,
but in the meantime it is quite possible that the garrison at Katif might be reduced to
extremities, and compelled to evacuate the town, and I am accordingly continuing to
urge the Vali to dispatch all that can be spared to the scene of action.
I have, &c.
(Signed) ARTHUR P. GEARY.
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