Skip to item: of 495
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 757/1909 'Persian Gulf:- Turkey and Turkish aggression (Occupation of Zakhnuniyeh Island. Attitude in piracy cases. Mudirs at Zubara, Odaid and Wakra) British Relations with Turkey in Persian Gulf' [‎94r] (192/495)

The record is made up of 1 volume (245 folios). It was created in 1909-1911. 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.

Apply page layout

His Majesty’s Government), should be neutralised by the establishment
forthwith of a Koweiti post, with the countenance of His Majesty’s Govern-
ment, on Warba Island (immediately north of Bubiyan), or, if that should
“ prove undesirable, on the northern shores of Bubiyan Island. If practi-
“ cable we would even recommend the establishment of posts on both islands.
“We desire to emphasise the importance which we attach to the effective
“ assertion of the Sheikh’s territorial claims to Bubiyan.” The Foreign
Office accepted these conclusions (12th November 1907, 3903/07), and local
enquiries were instituted as to the basis of the Sheikh’s claims to Warba. It
appeared that these w r ere not very strong, historically; but in view of the
fact that it is separated only by a narrow channel from Bubiyan, it might
fairly be argued on geographical grounds that the ownership of Warba
followed from that of Bubiyan. The Government of India reported in
September 1908 that the Sheikh was not at the time anxious to move in the
matter of his claims to the latter, and His Majesty’s Government therefore
decided to take no action (Secret Despatch No. 19, 30th October 1908), a
decision which, as has already been mentioned, was reaffirmed in April last
(Secret Despatch No. 9, 8 th April 1910).
To Um Kasr the Sheikh’s claim appears to be much more shadowy
than to Bubiyan. There is an old fort there, which is said to have been built by
his grandfather, but in 1904 it was uninhabited. On the other hand the
Turks were reported to have little claim beyond that of actual occupation.
• • The importance of these places is indicated by the following passage
from the Government of India’s letter of 4th February 1904: “ With the
“ shores of the mainland and of Bubiyan Island in the possession of a single
“ Power, the anchorages below Um Kasr and at Warba Island can at any
“ time be converted into an impregnable harbour.”
Jinnah has not hitherto figured in the correspondence, but it is an island
lying alongside of the Island of Musallamiya, which is claimed by the Sheikh
of Koweit. The Sheikh protested against the landing of Turkish troops on
the latter island in 1902. It may be explained that the southern limits of his
territory have never been defined, but the Government of India were of
opinion that the Sheikh’s claim to Musallamiya could not be maintained, and
that the island was clearly within the Turkish sphere of influence. (Telegram
10th May 1902.)
Of the other places mentioned as occupied by Turkish troops,
El Bidaa and Zakhnuniyeh are south of the region known as El Katif, in
which His Majesty’s Government have recognised continuous Turkish
influence. As will have been seen from paragraph 155 of the Defence Com
mittee’s Proceedings, the southernmost point of that influence is Ujair.
South of Ujair and on the El Katr Peninsula, His Majesty’s Government
have declined to recognise Turkish sovereignty, but the Turks established a
garrison at El Bidaa in 1872 and we have acquiesced in it.
Zakhnuniyeh is 10 miles south of Ujair, and is claimed by the Sheikh
of Bahrein. The Turks ran up their flag there in March 1909 and arranged to
keep a guard there. The Government of India recommended that a protest
should be made at Constantinople, and that the Sheikh of Bahrein should be
allowed to fly his flag on the island (telegram of 23rd May 1909). The
protest was made and the Ambassador was informed in September that the
guard had been withdrawn at the beginning of June. In these circumstances
it was decided to drop the question of the Bahrein flag, the policy of His
Majesty’s Government being to avoid disturbance of the status quo (telegram
to Viceroy 13th October 1909). In November the 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. , Bahrein,
reported that there were no Turkish soldiers on the island, but by April 1910
they had reappeared, and the Turkish flag was again being flown. The
Ambassador again protested, but received only evasive replies (telegram of
16th August 1910). The subject was therefore included in Sir E. Grey’s
despatch of 17th October, to which reference has already been made, and
the Ambassador was instructed “ to request that orders may be issued for the
immediate and permanent withdrawal of the garrison.” In a telegram dated
17th October 1910 Sir G. Lowther reported that the Porte had instructed the
Vali of Basra that when the gendarmes left the island at the end of the
fishing season they were not to return except under orders from Constanti
nople ; and on 14th November he reported that the gendarmes had deserted,

About this item

Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to the Turkish occupation of Zakhnuniyah Island, the Ottoman attitude towards piracy cases, and the appointment of officials in Zubara, Odeid and Wakra.

The discussion in the volume relates to the Turkish occupation of a disused fort (built by Shaikh Ali bin Khalifah, Ruler of Bahrain) on Zakhnuniyah Island and the placing of Ottoman officials in Zubara, Odeid and Wakra. Correspondence reflects British concerns over Turkish claims to sovereignty in the coastal area of the Qatar Peninsula and how these could best be resisted, particularly in the strategic context of the construction of the Berlin to Baghdad railway. In discussing Zakhnuniyah, reference is made to typed extract of the relevant page (1937) of Lorimer's Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer (Geographical and Statistical Volume) which describes how the Dawasir tribe halted there, during the course of their emigration from Najd (see folio 236).

Further discussion surrounds Turkish obstruction of the investigation of cases of piracy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and the proposed visit of H M S Redbreast to Al Bidaa.

Included in the volume are copies of the Committee for Imperial Defence papers 'Turkish Agression in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. " and 'Local Action in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ' (ff 12-15).

The principal correspondents in the volume include the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey); the Viceroy of India; the ruler of Bahrain; the 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. , Kuwait (Captain William Henry Irvine Shakespear); the British Ambassador to Constantinople; His Britannic Majesty's Acting Consul for Arabistan (Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson); 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox); the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.

Extent and format
1 volume (245 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 757 ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Turkish Aggression) consists of 1 volume IOR/L/PS/10/162.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 241; these numbers are written in pencil and are located at 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 foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and ending flyleaves.

A flap is pasted to the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. of folio 188.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 757/1909 'Persian Gulf:- Turkey and Turkish aggression (Occupation of Zakhnuniyeh Island. Attitude in piracy cases. Mudirs at Zubara, Odaid and Wakra) British Relations with Turkey in Persian Gulf' [‎94r] (192/495), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/162, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030529666.0x0000c1> [accessed 19 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100030529666.0x0000c1">File 757/1909 'Persian Gulf:- Turkey and Turkish aggression (Occupation of Zakhnuniyeh Island. Attitude in piracy cases. Mudirs at Zubara, Odaid and Wakra) British Relations with Turkey in Persian Gulf' [&lrm;94r] (192/495)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100030529666.0x0000c1">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000037/IOR_L_PS_10_162_0192.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000037/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image