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' [‎147r] (298/495)

WASfts s ,“ iI '•?■ * l ” k “
last year, from Ahmed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. -el-Zoheir at a t-rfee of c T i’sAsi^lo i" ,W
down. When however Sheihh MmKq i ? W £ r. 46,000 which W'as duly paid
Turkish Land Office lie’ was infonned^ that he n.^t ^ *??**** the , transfel ' at the
subject: such a demand in reference to a transfer of 1 b hlm f el c f as a Turkish
( Your Excellency should inform the Minister ^feign Affairs tlm? HLU “f.''
tLTa“™f gufwfth 4ganTto Ko^ifthffffiTs'tV"/ 11 ' 8 "Tf 38 an attem pbo modify
His Majesty’s Government and the Ottoman Governmentt ‘tV UnderS ‘ audill « bet "’een
It appears, moreover, from reliable and Hrctn,= ! 8 lm P 0l ; tant question,
tried by tortuous methods to instigate the vendor of tin ^ tilat tlle late Val1
Sheikh Mubarek’s title. The vendor remoTstfated with th^vV^ 011 -^ t0
absurdity of repudiating the sale in the face of the title-deeds hekfbfllfe Sh‘ f b*
which, besides the signature of the vpndnr b™ +1 t 1 „ , e W b y the bheikh,
as well as that of the British consul. ’ 1086 oi a11 the Bussor ah notables
satisfactor^settlem^nfobthe^-e^sfratmii 1 of^th Government to bring about a
difficultiesbith regard to the paS conduct of n’ 8 ^ 110 WIsh to ra «e
Shat-eLArab during last winter, that the Sheikh recently exermbd tos bwt
important Arab^hSTf IWkiX'nationalky^anTZt
carried his conciliatory attitude towards Nazif Bev so fnr L ’ • , tact ’
complaint in the destruction of houses beloneimr to him nt R * ; I; |ule ® ce without
known through His Majesty’s Con ul a ° Smmera” lat lhmkb IT ^
SE3S. “ prom “ "“ I|J
Such was the situation at the end of March last when thp i +1 at v
&££ & &&'»»- — ■ »4 ft s
against the bheikh certain accusations into the nature of whiVh it i Q
unnecessary to enter m detail, since your Excellency is already familiar with it from
the correspondence which has passed on the subject. No serious proof of the truth of
these accusations was ever offered, nor was any opportunity ever given to the Sheikh
to disprove the charges brought against him, which he was perfectly able and
leUe^adZeked k hLlivZ-’si 6 -,^ 11 friead k-d conthatorj
uci aaaresseu to him by the Sheikh, expressing the intention of proceeding to
Bussoi ah to discnss the matters m dispute, and, further, on the Sheikh’s arrival
him at'-d]. he &th Apn1 ’ m ° St un i ustifiabl y and discourteously refused to receive
, f h f. Sheikh , had no , alternative but to return to Mohammerah. On the 24th April
the \ ah issued circu ar instructions to the local officials under his jurisdiction
summarily to remove all headmen dependent on the Sheikh, and on the 25th April
during the latter s absence at Ahwaz, the Turkish gun-boat “ Marmaris ” actino- on
the orders of Nazif Bey, shelled the village of Zain belonging to the Sheitt which
was aft erwards looted and destroyed by Turkish soldiers. In the course of this
"’ as ^
011 tlie A P rB the Vah, in two official letters addressed to the Persian Consul
a ^ ^assorah, went so far as to threaten action against Mohammerah itself in the event
ol failure to comply with his demands.
In spite of the injury and provocation which he had received, Sheikli Khazal
continued to be guided by the advice of His Majesty’s Government by maintaining
<i conciliatory attitude, by restraining his agents and supporters from any aggressive
action, and by adopting their suggestions with respect to the wording of his
communications with the Vali. The latter, on the contrary, displayed strono-
resentment at the attempts made by His Majesty’s Consul at Bussorah, under
instructions from His Majesty’s Government, to promote an understanding between
him and the Sheikh. °