'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' [‎27r] (58/143)

Government and to the Persian Government and also remained acceptable
to their tribesmen.
The assurances of protection for his private property in Persia and
against molestation or encroachment on his rights by a foreign power were
gi anted with the reservation that the British Government could not bind
itself to forcible intervention in certain circumstances which might arise,
hut in such cases the Shaikh would receive the strongest possible diplomatic
support. Ihe undertaking in regard to the Customs was negatived, and the
Shaikh informed that the contingency foreseen was one that His Majesty’s
Government could not contemplate (vide Major Cox’s letter of the 1st Decem
ber 1908 to the Shaikh).
A request for a copy of the assurances in a form that could be shown
to the tribunal of Shaikhs was granted.
It was also agreed that His Majesty the King should be asked to confer
an honorary K.G.I.E. on the Shaikh, a favour which could not fail to be
pleasing to him, and which would at the same time afford a pretext for inter
vention on his behalf if necessary.
On October 15th, Colonel Cox invested the Shaikh with the insignia of a
K.C.I.E., at a public Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). at Failiyeh and immediately afterwards com
municated to him confidentially the text of the assurances as finally approved
by His Majesty’s Government wdiich ran as follows :—
I am authorised to inform 5. our Excellency that whatever changes may take place
in the form of the Government of Persia, and whether it be Royalist or
Nationalist, His Majesty’s Government will be prepared to afford you the
support necessary for obtaining a satisfactory solution in the event of any
encroachment by the Persian Government on your jurisdiction and recognised
rights, and on your property in Persia. 1 In like manner they will safeguard
you to the best of their ability against an unprovoked attack 2 by a foreign
pov er or against any encroachment by such a power on your said jurisdiction
and recognised rights or on your property in Persia. 3 These assurances are
given for yourself and are intended to apply to your male decendants so long
as you and they shall not have failed to observe your obligations towards the
Central Government and shall continue to be acceptable to your tribesmen, 4
to be guided by the advice of His Majesty’s Government and to maintain
an attitude satisfactory to them.
Before investing the Shaikh with the insignia of a K.C.I.E., the Political
Resident addressed the following remarks to him, in English, a translation
afterwards being read out by the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. :—
Your Excellency,
It is over a year now since I have had the pleasure of visiting you ashore, owing to
fiistly to absence in Europe and secondly to quarantine difficulties since my return.
I his has been a cause of regret to me, but I am very glad to be able to visit Your
Excellency in ycur palace at Failiyeh, and the pleasure of coming has been greatly
enhanced by the auspicious nature of my present errand.
I am commanded by His Majesty’s Government to announce to Your Excellency
that my august sovereign, King George the Fifth—may his kingdom endure—has been
pleased to confer on you the high honour of a Knight Commandership of the Indian
Empire and I am on their-behalf to present you with the Insignia thereof.
This indication of good will and esteem on the part of His Majesty’s Government,
is conferred on Your Excellency as a mark of their appreciation of your sustained
efforts to preserve order and security for trade in the districts under your control and
thereby to assist the progress of civilization and commerce. Unfortunately as we all
know, many districts in Persia have now for a long time been disturbed and trade
routes interrupted. It is therefore all the more a matter of congratulation to you
1 On the 24th April 1910 under instructions from His Majesty’s Minister His Majesty’s Consul for
’Arabistan had verbally informed the Shnikii that “ our assurances in so far as they refer to aggression <n the pait
of the Persian Government, apply equally to the Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Assad as long as he is Minister of Interior.
2 But see the assurances given by Sir A. Hardinge in 1903 in which assurances were given against naval
attack by a foreign power whatever pretext for such intervention might be alleged. These assurances are still Ln
force (rnde Chapter IV).
3 In giving these assurances Colonel Cox addtd a verbal explanation to the effect that whilst His Majesty’s
Government were perfectly sincere in their intentions towards the Shaikh and had therefore given these assur
ances, yet circumstances might arise in which it would be impossible to intervene by force on his behalf.
In such a case he would of course receive strong diplomatic suppoit. This reservation, however, did not disturb
the Shaikh in the least. He replied that he quite understood it adding that as lorg as ho could feel assured
that we really meant to safeguard him to the best of our ability in case of emergency it was sufficient for him.
(The substance of the conversation in which this communication was made was reduced to writing.)
4 The words i% to be acceptable to your tribesmen ” were omitted in the second copy of the assurances
delivered to the Shaikh with a demi-official letter by 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. .