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'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [108r] (1/28)
The record is made up of 1 file (14 folios). It was created in 7 Apr 1879. 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.
Turkish Jurisdiction in the Islands
and Waters of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
,
and on the Arab Littoral.
The despatches from the Secretary
of State which the Government of
India have now to answer are noted in
the margin.* The question which they
raise is that of the Turkish jurisdiction
in the islands and waters of the Persian
Gulf and on the Arab littoral. In its
full territorial extent this question
embraces the entire southern coast of
the Persian and Oman Gulfs, from
Koweit to Kas-el-Had, the eastern
extremity of the dominions of the
Sultan of Muscat; but the present
note will deal, in the main, only with
the Arab coast and islands between
Has Tanorah and Has Mussendom, and
will thus include the Turkish ports of
El-Bidaa, the islands of Bahrein, Zoba-
ra, El-Katr, and the territories of the
Arab Trucial Chiefs.
2. The earliest of the despatches
cited in the foregoing para, calls for a
report from the Government of India
in regard to the proceedings of the Re
sident at Bushire, Captain Wodehouse of
the Teazer, and Zaid-bin-Khalifa, Chief
of Abuthabi towards Odeid, a village on
the El-Katr coast. Sir A. Layard, writ
ing on the 28th May, reported that
Sadyk
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
, the Ottoman Minister for
Foreign Affairs, had read to him a tele
gram from the Wali of Busreh, com
plaining that Zaid-bin-Khalifa, with
70 boats and accompanied by an Eng
lish war steamer and the British Consul
at Bushire, had attacked Odeid, which
he described as a dependency of the Tur
kish district of Castar (El-Katr). The
inhabitants having fled, the village was
pillaged and destroyed, and all the boats
carried off. The Porte hoped that some
explanation would be afforded of this
descent upon Turkish territory. Lord
Cranbrook, to whom the papers were
referred, declined to give any detailed
expression of opinion until he had
consulted the Government of India; but
in the meantime he drew the attention
of the Foreign Office to the corres
pondence of 1877, in which 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.
recommended that a dis
cussion with the Porte iu regard to
About this item
- Content
Memorandum written by Trevor John Chicheley Plowden, Under Secretary to the Foreign Department, Government of India, 21 Mar 1879, and published 25 March 1879 in Lahore by the Punjab Government.
The memorandum addresses the question of Turkish jurisdiction in the islands and waters of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and on the Arab littoral, looking at the entire southern coast from Koweit [Kuwait] to Ras-el-Had [Ra’s al-Hadd], but focusing primarily on the Arab coast and islands from Ras Tanorah [Ra's Tannūrah] to Ras Mussendom [Ra’s Musandam], including El-Bidaa [al-Bida], Bahrein [Bahrain], Zobara [Zubārah], El-Katr [Qatar] and the territories of the Arab Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. chiefs.
The memorandum commences with a brief history of events at Odeid [Al ‘Udayd] in the 1800s, and the uncertainty in the 1870s over whether or not it was part of the territory of the Chief of Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi] or was an independent territory, and also discusses attempts by the Chief of El-Katr to persuade the Chief at Odeid, Shaikh Buttye to hoist a Turkish flag, which he refused.
The memorandum, which cites correspondence from 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. (Colonel Lewis Pelly, Colonel Edward Charles Ross), goes on to consider the Turkish authorities in Nejd [Najd] and their interests in Abuthabi and Debaye [Dubai]; further claims of Turkish interest in Odeid, including in 1877 claims that the inhabitants of Odeid were paying a tribute to the Turks through the Chief of El-Bidaa; and correspondence with the Turkish Government regarding an increase in piracy along the El-Katr coast.
The memorandum focuses particularly on events in Odeid from 1877 onwards, including attempts to mediate a settlement between Abuthabi and Odeid; British intentions to support Abuthabi should a settlement not be mediated; vessels belonging to the Chief of Odeid having attacked vessels from Wukra [al Wakrah], breaching the maritime peace. The memorandum then reverts to the original questions relating to Turkish jurisdiction and concludes that Odeid is not a part of El-Katr territory, and is part of Abuthabi territory and is therefore answerable to the Chief of Abuthabi.
The memorandum then reverts to the larger question of Turkish jurisdiction and considers the area from Ojair [al-‘Uqayr] to El-Bidaa and noting that they were not considered to be responsible for that area, but could have reasonable claim to do so should they wish; it also discusses the possibility of negotiating a line of demarcation to show where Turkish jurisdiction ends and British jurisdiction commences and the need for the British Government to reserve the right to suppress maritime irregularities at sea. The memorandum concludes by considering whether the question of a line of demarcation should be put to the Secretary of State for India; how to ensure that Bahrein [Bahrain] is recognised as independent of all Governments except Great Britain; and what impact such an agreement might have on Persia.
Accompanying the memorandum is a note written by Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Foreign Department, Government of India, 7 April 1879 which supports the proposals outlined within it.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (14 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 108 and terminates at folio 121, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in 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 additional foliation sequence is also present in the top-right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio; these numbers are also written in pencil but are not circled.
Pagination: This section of the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [108r] (1/28), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B126, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000002> [accessed 20 April 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B126
- Title
- 'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL'
- Pages
- 108r:121v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence