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'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [26v] (57/143)
The record is made up of 1 volume (68 folios). It was created in 1912. It was written in English and Farsi. 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.
38
him, so far as they concerned the break up of Persia, or the intervention of
foreign powers, but that he would require some definite reply as to whether
the guarantees already given him included protection on his rig s ^ ^
possible constitutional regime, and also in regard to an extension ot existing
guarantee to his immediate offspring.
In reply, Major Cox was instructed to inform the Shaikh that Mis
Majesty’s Government were prepared to give him the same support against
encroachments on his rights as was promised in 1902, whatever change o
Government there might be in Persia. He was also to be reminded that the
assurances of His Majesty’s Government had already been extended to his
successors, and as these would presumably be his offspring, the assurances
did in fact already apply to them. If, however, this did not satisfy the
Shaikh, there was no objection to extending the guarantee already given to
“ his heirs and successors.” 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 Gull
having communicated these assurances, the Shaikh further requested
(1) that the words “ his own successive male descendants ” might be
substituted for “ heirs and successors ’ and he
(2) also expressed the hope that His Majesty’s Government would
dispel the last shadow of doubt from his mind regarding their
intentions in the future by adding after the words “ male des
cendants ” the words “ up to a period of 100 years ” or 150 if
possible.
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.
promised to mention these points to His Majes
ty’s Minister, whom he hoped shortly to meet, as also the Shaikh’s requests
for # . .
(3) an assurance for protection for his private property in Persia,
(4) an assurance of protection against molestation by foreign powers,
and against any encroachment by such power on his jurisdic
tion and recognised rights,
(5) an undertaking that, if circumstances compelled His Majesty s
Government to assume control of the Customs of Southern Per
sia, including those of Mohammerah and Ahwaz, he will be
left in immediate control of those ports as at present,
(6) an undertaking that if circumstances compelled His Majesty’s
Government to intervene in Southern Persia he and his tribes
men may be maintained in their present position, or if that is
impossible, he may retain his personal revenues, and be granted
an asylum in India or elsewhere,
(7) a copy of the assurances in a form which he could show to his
tribesmen to strengthen their support of himself, and their
belief in the friendly policy of His Majesty’s Government.
At this juncture, Major Cox proceeded on leave to England. From
London he went on to Tehran to confer with His Majesty’s Minister, and
both in London and in Tehran the question of the assurances which the Shaikh
desired were exhaustively discussed. After further protracted examination
of the question at Tehran, on the occasion of Major Cox’s visit there, and
between the Foreign Office and 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.
, the assurances in their revised
form, were finally approved and the text forwarded to Colonel Cox in August
1910. He was instructed, however, not to communicate them to the Shaikh,
until His Majesty’s Government had examined the merits of the case of the
Wali of Basrah against the Shaikh in the matter of the allegations against
the latter which had culminated in the shelling and burning of the village
of Zain by the Turkish gunboat “ Marmaris.” This question is dealt w ith
under the heading “ The Shaikh and the Turks ” (Chapter 9) and need not be
further referred to here.
His Majesty’s Government having concluded the examination of the
papers in this case and having satisfied themselves that the Shaikh had acted
properly in the matter and that the general allegations against him were
unfounded authorised Lieutenant-Colonel Cox to communicate the revised as
surances to the Shaikh. The latter’s request for a time limit had been nega
tived and the application of the assurances to the male descendants were
granted only so long as the latter fulfilled their obligations to His Majesty’s
»
About this item
- Content
This volume consists of a précis issued by the Government of India which provides comprehensive details regarding the history of relations between the British Government and the tribes and rulers of 'Arabistan. The volume is divided into eleven sections as follows:
- I. British Interests in 'Arabistan;
- II. 'Arabistan: Internal Politics up to the death of Haji Jabir and genealogical table of Shaikhs of Mohammerah, 1527-1881;
- III. Shaikh Miz'als's rule, 1882-1897;
- IV. Shaikh Khaz'al's rule, 1897-1910;
- V. Shaikh Khaz'al and the Persian Customs;
- VI. Shaikh Khaz'al: Political Relations with British Government;
- VII. Piracies;
- VIII. Turko-Persian Frontier Question;
- IX. Shaikh of Mohammerah and Turks;
- X. Irrigation in 'Arabistan;
- XI. Acquisition and Tenure of Land in 'Arabistan with Annexes.
Between folios 51-70, the volume contains a number of appendices including copies of various relevant agreements. On folios 69-70, the volume contains the Persian text of a concession granted to the Nasiri Company for running ships from Ahwaz to Shushtar.
The volume was compiled by Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wilson, Acting Consul for 'Arabistan. The printing statement reads, 'Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing, 1912'
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (68 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume opens with a contents page (folio 4) followed by a prefatory note (folio 5), a list of relevant officials (folio 6), a schedule of appendices (folio 7), eleven chapters of text (folios 8-50) and ends with sixteen appendices (folios 51-70).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 70; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, 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. An original printed pagination sequence is present in parallel between ff 8-65.
- Written in
- English and Farsi in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan' [26v] (57/143), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/70, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100034861789.0x00003a> [accessed 23 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/70
- Title
- 'A Précis of the Relations of the British Government with the Tribes and Shaikhs of 'Arabistan By Lieutenant A T Wilson, Acting Consul for Arabistan'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:22v, 24r:46v, 49r:52v, 57v, 65r:66r, 67r:68v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence