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'Memorandum on supplementary British commitments to the Idrisi regarding the Farsan Islands' [‎116r] (3/6)

The record is made up of 1 file (3 folios). It was created in 7 Jan 1919. 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. .

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of the 2sth February last and his reply, which virtually embodies present require
ments. lie says Farsan part and parcel of his seaboard, and expects Ifritish
protection from all outside interference. He says Britieh flag, however, as
repugnant at Farsan as would be at Jizan, and likely to draw Turkish vengeance
as implying cession of island to us; further, will preclude future favour qua
arms from France and Italy. I fully sympathise in both arguments, and believe
presence of cur flag will place Farsan in the category of annexations subject
to post helium, adjudication. Idrisi flag and his 100 armed men, now present
and to be retained, constitute effective occupation which should be notified.
Would have completed agreement and removed our garrison, but cannot remove
flag planted by admiral without prior reference. Will return to Jizan from
Jeddah to do needful and await your orders.”
The Resident repeated this telegram to 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. on the 11th January,
adding that he considered the occupation of the islands by the Idrisi to be effective,
and recommending that the British garrison and flag should be removed.
After receiving this telegram, 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. telegraphed the following instruc
tions to the Viceroy on the 15th January (14829/17:)—
“ Our guard may be withdrawn at once. Jacob should meet Idrisi on
return from Jeddah and negotiate agreement with him, on execution of which
British flag may be hauled down. If thought necessary, Idrisi may be informed
at once that this will be done."
Meanwhile, on the 13th January, Sir R. Wingate had telegraphed to the Foreign
Office (10726/17)* submitting that the British garrison should not be withdrawn
from the islands before an assurance had been obtained from the Idrisi that the
occupation of them by another Power would at no time be permitted by him ; and
this was communicated to 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. on the 16th January (10083/17), with the
suggestion that instructions might be sent to Aden in this sense. Sir R. Wingate s
desideratum was, of course, already satisfied in the Idrisi s counter-draft, 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. , in a letter to the Foreign Office, dated the 18th January (14820/17),
referred to the Resident’s telegram of the 11th January and to their telegram to
the Viceroy of the 15th January (both quoted above), with the suggestion that no
further instructions were necessary. The negotiations which had been resumed
between Colonel Jacob and the Idrisi were therefore allowed to proceed, and on the
25th January the Resident at Aden telegraphed (21457/17) that the agreement had
been signed on the 22nd and the British troops and flag removed from the Farsan
Islands on the 23rd. . . .
On the 29th January Prince Borghese made fresh enquiries at the loreign Ottice
in regard to the status of the islands (20353/17).
“ Prince Borghese was informed that orders had been issued as long ago as
June 1915 for the British flag to be hoisted in the Farsan Islands. Owing,
however, to some misunderstanding, this order had only recently been executed.
The British flag had been hoisted and a small guard landed. But this action
had only been taken on behalf of the Idrisi, whose authority over the islands was
,recognised by His IHajesty s Government. The islands had almost immediately
been° handed over to him, the British flag had been removed, and the guard
withdrawn. . ,
“ The above explanation appeared to satisfy Prince Borghese, who said that
he was glad that the matter had been cleared up."
A copy of the Agreement as signed, together with a memorandum by Colonel
Jacob, was forwarded by the Resident at Aden to the Government of India on the
26th January, 1917, and on the 17th February the Viceroy telegraphed on the sub
ject as follows (39128/17):—
“We consider that supplementary agreement concluded by Colonel Jacob
with Idrisi, though not altogether satisfactory either in substance or in form,
is doubtless best that could be secured in the particular circumstances and
adequately meets the case. We propose, therefore, to approve it. There is no
reference in it to Kamaran.”
* Followed up by another telegram dated 19th January (15494/17).
[785]
C

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Content

The file consists of a memorandum from the Political Intelligence Department of the Foreign Office concerning supplementary British commitments to the Idrisi Saiyid and Amir of Sabia [Saiyid Muhammad-bin-Ali-al-Idrīsi] regarding the Farsan Islands [Farasān, Jazā'ir] and the treaty of 30 April 1915. It contains quotes from correspondence by 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 Aden, 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. , the Idrisi, the Viceroy of India, the Foreign Office, and the Government of India.

It covers: the islands history of possession; the agreed terms of the original treaty; British attempts to make the status of the islands more definitive; and a dispute over the hoisting of the British flag. A copy of the Supplementary Treaty of 22 January 1917 is included in an appendix. A further section is included headed 'Relation of Commitments to the Idrisi, under the Supplementary Agreement, to British Desiderata' regarding Italy's claim to occupy the Farsan Islands, and how the supplementary agreement defends British interests.

Extent and format
1 file (3 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) for this description commences at f 115, and terminates at f 117, 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 present in parallel between ff 115-117; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'Memorandum on supplementary British commitments to the Idrisi regarding the Farsan Islands' [‎116r] (3/6), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B293A, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100028632088.0x000004> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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