File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎117r] (238/566)

•
No. 1608, dated Bushire, the 16th (received 27th) June 1910.
From—L ieutenant-Colonel P. Z. Cox, C.S.I., C.I.E., 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. ,
To—The Hon’ble Mr. S. H. Butler, C.S.I, C.I.E., Secretary to the Government
of India in the Foreign Department, Simla.
With reference to Legation telegram, repeated to the Foreign Department
under my No. 588, dated 1st June 1910, I have the honour to forward, for the
•N0.40-.607, toed i6th ]une .910. information of the Government of India,
a copy of the marginally cited despatch,*
with enclosures, which I have addressed to His Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires,
Tehran, forwarding Lieutenant Wilson’s record of the Sheikh’s rejoinder to the
Turkish accusations made in connection with the recent incidents on the Shatt-
el-Arab.
No 40—1607, dated Bushire, the 16th June 1910.
From— Lieutenant-Colonel P. Z. Cox, C.S.I., C.I.E., 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. , Bushire,
To—C. M. Marling, Esq., C.M.G., His Britannic Majesty’s Charge d’Affaires,
Tehran.
In continuation of the telegraphic correspondence, I have the honour to
submit, for your information, a copy of a
communicationf (with enclosures, and my
telegrams leading up to it) addressed to
me by Lieutenant A. T. Wilson, His
Majesty’s Acting Consul at Mohammerah
in which, after personal communication with
the Sheikh on the latter’s return from the Karun, he presents the Sheikh’s
rejoinder to the Turkish allegations both particular and general.
t'l) Telegram No. 467, dated 8th May 1910, from
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. , Bushire, to riis Majesty’s
Consul, Mohammerah.
<2) Telegram No. 549, dated 25th May 1910.
13) Letter from His Majesty's Consul, Moham-
merah. No. 560, dated 4th June 1910.
2. Before offering any observations on the contents of the report, I beg to
touch upon certain salient points of the recent correspondence and negotiations.
(i) Ihe basis of my own attitude .—The first news I had of there being any
thing wrong between the Sheikh and the Wali of Basrah was contained in Lieu
tenant Wilson’s telegram No. 404, received 26th April, in which the latter report
ed the fact that Zain had been shelled bv the “ Marmaris ”. When I telegraphed
to you on the 30th asking that His Majesty’s Consul, Basrah, might be instruct
ed to co-operate with Lieutenant Wilson in bringing about an amicable settlement,
it was only the bombardment of Zain that I had knowledge of, and the amicable
settlement which I advocated in regard to that incident was naturally meant to
be one which would have regard to the Sheikh’s rights and interests as well as
those of the Wali.
It was not till later that I received news of the shelling of the Sheikh’s
mother’s house; of the death of one of his wives from the shock of the bom
bardment ; of the issue of the offensive circular of April 24th and of the des
patch of the two letters to the Persian Consulate-General threatening measures
against Mohammerah itself. In my eyes these additional items of news, and
the possible further Turkish measures adumbrated by Mr. Crow, enhanced the
hostile aspect of the Wall’s proceedings and the seriousness of the position to
an extent which made an amicable local settlement not only unlikely, but also
insufficient to meet the case, unless accompanied by a change of Walis.
Accordingly, both on the Sheikh’s account and in our own interests, to which
the tranquillity of the river at this season is a condition of the highest commercial
t Basrah Despatch No. 36 of 8th May 1907, to importance, as His Majesty’s Consul,
His Majesty’s Embassy. Basrah, fully recognises, J I recommended
the despatch of one of His Majesty’s ships to the scene and efforts to bring about