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File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎212r] (428/566)

The record is made up of 1 volume (281 folios). It was created in 1910-1915. 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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[This Document is the Property of His
Britannic
Majesty's Government.]
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[19081]
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 30.)
(No. 337.)
Sir, Constantinople, May 24, 1910.
WITH reference to my despatches Nos. 65 of the 30th January, and 299 of the
25th April, 1909, and No. 318 ^of the 18th instant, I have the honour to forward
herewith a despatch from His Majesty’s consul at Bussorah, respecting the relations
between the Turks and the Sheikh of Mohammerah.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul Crow to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 23.)
Sir, Bussorah, April 28, 1910.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 22 of the 23rd instant, and my telegrams
Nos. 16 and 17 of the 25th and 26th instants, I have the honour to enclose copies of
two letters received from the acting British consul at Mohammerah.
The “ Marmaris ” which had been anchored near Zein for several days returned to
Bussorah on the 24th instant and left for Zein again early on the 25th instant. The
village of Zein, which is on the Turkish side of the Shatt and is occupied by Mohammed
Chenan and his tribesmen, w T as burnt and bombarded at midday on the 25th instant.
Men in boats landed with kerosine oil and, accompanied by forty soldiers despatched
overland, burnt about sixty huts and the house of Chenan and looted all the property
they could find. They then retired and bombarded the place with the guns of the
“ Mannaris.’* The mutessarif of Hassa, who was on the ship, told me there was an
explosion in Chenan’s house, when fired, which he attributed to the ammunition stored
there. Lieutenant Wilson’s letter gives details of the operations gathered during a
personal visit to Zein after the incident. According to the vali the firing on Gulfidan’s
house (the lady is the mother of the Sheikh of Mohammerah and was in residence at
the time) was due to a mistake. The house was apparently in the line of fire and they
could not see it through the trees. There was no casualties.
I saw the vali on the 27th instant, and he told me a list of about twenty-five
persons was sent to the sheikh, giving the names of persons wanted for various matters
connected with troubles on the river in Turkish territory. The vali could tell me
nothing about Haji Athbi, mentioned in Lieutenant Wilson’s letter, and did not seem
to know the name. He said the cases of the persons asked for would be dealt with
judicially if they were surrendered. I told him it might be extremely difficult for the
sheikh, as an Arab, to surrender either Chenan or Athbi, who were chiefs of some of his
most powerful tribes, a,s such a surrender would be contrary to Arab custom and tribal
rules. I observed that in dealing with the Arabs we usually respected their tribal
customs. The vali contradicted me, and said we treated them with great severity.
He said Chenan was an Ottoman subject resident in Turkey, and even if he were not
an Ottoman subject, which he declared was not the case, he was concerned in past
troubles on the river, and had lately defied his authority. The Turks hitherto had not
been strong enough to exact redress, but that time was over. The sheikh in past
years had frequently been asked to restrain his adherents from disturbing the peace
of the vilayet. He had not done so. As he protected these people and declined
to surrender them, the vali said he had no choice in the matter but to take his own
measures.
My impression is that the vali is acting on instructions from Constantinople, as
I hear he telegraphed after refusing to receive the sheikh when the latter brought
* Printed with paper 18937.
[2744 gg —3]

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Content

Correspondence including telegrams, hand written letters and printed enclosures, discusses an attack by a Turkish gun-boat on a village - Zain, belonging to the Shaikh of Mohammerah - which lay on the Turkish bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. The correspondence outlines the circumstances that led to the quarrel between the Turkish authorities and the Sheikh of Mohammerah, and suggestions that the Porte should be urged to replace the Wali of Basrah with a less aggressive official.

Correspondence discusses the proposal to give the Shaikh of Mohammerah assurances against naval attack, whatever the pretext for such action; letters and telegrams also discuss the award of a decoration (Knight Commander of the Indian Empire) to the Shaikh of Mohammerah.

A letter (dated 7 December 1913) from Percy Zachariah Cox, 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. , outlines the Government of India's interests in Arabistan including: the oil fields and their future; irrigation; railway enterprises; telegraphs; Russian and German activity.

Correspondents include Percy Zachariah Cox, 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. ; Sir Gerard Lowther, Ambassador to Constantinople; Charles Murray Marling, Ambassador to Tehran; Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign affairs; Francis Edward Crow, H M Consul at Bussorah [Basra]; Arnold Talbot Wilson, H M Consul at Mohammerah; Shaikh Khazal bin Jabir, Shaikh of Mohammerah; Wali of Bussorah; Viceroy of India.

Extent and format
1 volume (281 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 345 (Mohammerah: situation) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/132-133. The volumes are divided into two parts, with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 278; 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.

The folio sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the one ending flyleaf.

An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel throughout; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 345/1908 Pt 2 'Mohammerah: situation. Sheikh's dispute with the Vali of Basra. decoration for Sheikh. renewed assurances to Sheikh.' [‎212r] (428/566), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/133, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030525715.0x00001d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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