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'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [112r] (9/28)
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.
tinned to fly the Arab Trucial flag and
not the Turkish flag. Two or three
years ago four Turks had come to Odeid
by steamer and settled terms, but had
never remained there any time.
Subsequently, it appeared that tbe
piracies under investigation had been
perpetrated by the A1 Morra and not by
the Beni Hajir; that the Sheikh of
Odeid was not implicated, but that he
was too weak to prevent his ports being
made use of. Captain Prideaux, who
was then acting as Resident in Colonel
Ross’s absence, wrote:—
. Accompaniment to letter No. 211, dated 16tb September
1876.
Foreign Department No. 974P, dated 7tb May 1877.
Despatch No. 78 P., dated 10th May 1S<,
"Although the previous accounts of these out
rages were exaggerated, there is sufficient evi
dence to show that since the relaxation of
British vigilance upon the Guttur ( El-Katr)
Coast, consequent on the assumption of autho
rity in that quarter by the Porte, the wild and
lawless tribes of the mainland have more
frequent opportunities than formerly of indulg
ing their piratical propensities. I do not
think the Chief of Odeid can justly be held
accountable for these specific acts of violence;
but it is quite clear that he is unable to res
train the Bedouin tribes who find in his ports
a convenient shelter from reprisals and punish
ment. The Agent on the Arab Coast, whom
I have summoned to Bushire, will endeavour
to effect a reconciliation between the Chief of
Abuthabi and Odeid : but if his efforts should
prove .unsuccessful, it might be worthy of con
sideration whether the authority of the British
Government should not be exercised in restor
ing the former Chief to his legitimate position
at Odeid, and coercing, if necessary, the
seceders from his tribe. No acts of piracy are
ever reported from the districts ruled by the
Chiefs under treaty obligations to us; and it
seems anomalous that the civilizing policy
of Government should be neutralized by an
event which, as I have shown in my memo
randum on Odeid, is not a novel occurrence.
Although the Chief is said to have a Turkish
flag in his possession, it would be scarcely
probable that the Porte would advance any
pretensions to Odeid, which, until the last few
years, was indisputably an integral portion of
Abuthabi territory."
“ The Government of India concur
red in this view and empowered the
Resident to use his best endeavours
<f to promote a reunion between the
colonists at Odeid and the main body
of the Beni-Yas tribe of Abuthabi,” and
further authorized him “to afford assis
tance, if necessary, to the Trucial Chief
of Abuthabi in coercing the seceders.”
In reporting the papers to the Secre
tary of State the Government of India
wrote as follows : —
“ 2. From the present letter from the
Officiating
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.
and from the
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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' [112r] (9/28), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B126, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x00000a> [accessed 5 May 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