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'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [‎111v] (8/28)

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. .

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( 8 )
9. In November 1874, Colonel Eoss
reported that occasion had arisen for tak
ing action in accordance with,the instruc
tions of the 27th October 1873, cited
at the end of paragraph 7 of this note.
The Chief of Abuthabi had again re
ferred to his wish to coerce the Odeid
settlers by sea, and had been told that
the Government of India could not
permit such a proceeding.
Sheikh Zaid then observed that the
Turkish Government claimed Odeid as
under their protection, and that Turk
ish local officials had written to him
to that effect. He professed to have
mislaid their letters, but promised to
forward them when found.
It seemed to Colonel Ross probable
that the Sheikh of Odeid, fearing an
attack from Abuthabi, might have
had recourse to the Turkish authori
ties, and that the letters referred to by
the Chief of Abuthabi might have
been the result.
The Government of India approved
Colonel Ross’s proceedings, and decided
to await a further report in regard to
the written offers of protection alleged
to have been made by the Turks to the
Sheikh of Odeid.
On 20th March 1875, Colonel Ross
recurred to the subject of these letters
to the Chief of Abuthabi. Zaid declar
ed that he could not find the letters ;
their ‘purport, however, was that he
should abstain from interference with
Odeid.
Colonel Ross also sent translations
of letters which had passed between the
Sheikh of Odeid and himself on the
subject of the Sheikh’s apprehensions
of being attacked by Abuthabi.
It appeared that the Sheikh pos
sessed both a Turkish flag and the Arab
trucial flag, and that he used the one or
the other as occasion required.
10. In 1876-77 various piracies were
perpetrated from Odeid territory and the
tribe of Beni Hajir were at first supposed
to have been the offenders. In the
course of inquiring into these outrages
it was ascertained by Captain Guthrie,
of the May Frere, that the Sheikh of
Odeid paid an annual tribute to the
amount of 40 or 50 dollars to the
Turks through the Chief of El-Bidaa.
Nevertheless during the whole of Cap
tain Guthrie’s visit the Sheikh con-
Proceedings, Political A., December 1874, No. 148.
From Resident in Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , No. 1313-274, dated
21 st November.
Proceedings, Political A., May 1875, No. 344.
To Secretary of State, No. 78P., dated 10th May 1877
(Political A., May 1877, No. 304).

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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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'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [‎111v] (8/28), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B126, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000009> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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