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' [‎243v] (491/495)

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

\
3
'Lti-J
Zobara and Odeid are in the Yilayet of Bussorah, and long administered by
Kaimakams and Mndirs. The British Besident could not be ignorant of the fact
that the sovereignty of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan extended over the countries in
question, and he should have abstained from exercising the r61e of mediator between
th rab Sheikhs without the previous assent of the Porte. In any case, the Ottoman
Government having been left in ignorance of this act, it can have no influence on its
sovereign rights. Moreover, it is merely an armistice between Sheikhs, and could in
no case be invoked against the establishment of Turkish military posts at Zobara and
Odeid.
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. reports that there are no Turkish troops
at Zobara, and that Odeid is unoccupied. Reports are prevalent that the Turks intend
to send troops to Katr to attack Jasim. The Resident suggests that he would
be justified in preventing the Turks from occupying either Zobara or Odeid, and
compelling their evacuation if suddenly seized. He has been instructed m reply by
Lord Lansdowne to report any movements of the Turks on Zobara or Odeid, but to
take no measures of forcible opposition without orders.
In 1893 the question of the Katr coast came to the fore, and the Porte informed
Sir C. Ford that the Sultan contemplated sending troops to the Katr coast as a
dependency of the Nejd. His Majesty’s Government instructed the Resident in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to proceed in a ship of war to inquire into the disturbance. The Turkish
Government deprecated the dispatch of a British ship, and stated that the place
formed an integral part of the Ottoman dominions ; a telegram was communicated by
them from the Governor and inhabitants of Katr, acknowledging the Sultan’s
sovereignty.
Colonel Talbot, who did proceed to El Bidaa, recommended that an effort should
be made to procure the withdrawal of the Turks from the Katr peninsula. A proposal
was made to negotiate with the Sultan to resign his supposed rights over the Katr
peninsula to Jasim and Ahmed his brother, but Lord Rosebery thought that nothing
would come of it.
Lord Kimberley subsequently proposed that Her Majesty’s Government should
continue the policy laid down in 1883 of denying Turkish jurisdiction over El Katr.
Lord Rosebery assented, but did not think it necessary to make any official communi
cation on the subject to the Turkish Government unless they raised the question
officially. Rustem Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was reminded unofficially of Lord Granville’s Declaration of
the 7th May, 1883. (See above. Minute on 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. 10th August, 1893, in
Confidential Paper 6410.)
The Government of India have directed that the Commandant and Senior Naval
Officer may be informed that His Majesty’s ships are not to recognize Turkish rule at
El Bidap, but that British Naval officers should avoid giving Turkish officials any
opportunity of asserting by overt action such nominal authority as the Porte possesses
in that locality, and to this end His Majesty’s ships should refrain from visiting the
harbour of El Bidaa except when special occasion for doing so arises.
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. drew attention to the discrepancy in the suggestion contained in
the Foreign Office letter 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. of the 26th August, 1893, of recognizing
the nominal suzerainty of the Porte at El Bidaa so long as the Turkish authorities do
not move bevond the limits of the town. It was pointed out that this was incom
patible with the instructions of the Government of India that Her Majesty’s ships
should not recognize Turkish rule at El Bidaa. In reply, the Foreign Office concurred
in the instruction to the Naval Commander.
A complaint being made by the “Nakhoda” (master) of a British boat against
the Turkish Commander at El Bidaa, the Government of India instructed the Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to take no further action in the matter, as the result of
pursuing it further would probably have been to elicit from the Commandant’s superiors
an assertion of the Porte’s jurisdiction at El Bidaa.
(Signed) E. C. BLECH.
March 11, 1903.
Sublime I’orte,
No. 13,
January 2b, 1 892.
Foreign Office.
Nr>. 73, March 29,
1892.
Foreign Office,
No. 123, May 23,
1893.
Foreign Office,
No. 225,
August 29, ;, 3
Foreign Olfic e,
No. 94,
March 27, is )4.
Foreign Office,
No. 191,
June 19, 1894.

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' [‎243v] (491/495), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/162, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030529668.0x00005c> [accessed 29 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_100030529668.0x00005c">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;243v] (491/495)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100030529668.0x00005c">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x000037/IOR_L_PS_10_162_0491.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