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File 2182/1913 Pt 2 'Persian Gulf Situation in El Katr Policy towards Bin Saud' [‎95r] (191/543)

The record is made up of 1 volume (269 folios). It was created in 18 Nov 1913-22 Nov 1916. It was written in English and French. 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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[ This Document is the Property; of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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TURKEY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[May 18.]
Section 3.
[22042]
No. 1.
Sir L. Mallet to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received May 18.)
(No. 335.)
Sir, Constantinople, May 12, 1914.
IN his telegram dated the 8th May, which I repeated to you in my telegram
No. 281 of the 9th instant, His Majesty’s consul at Basra reported the return from
Koweit of the Turkish mission charged with the negotiations with Bin Saud. The
moment appears to me an opportune one at which to review the question of His Majesty’s
Government’s relations with Nejd from the Turkish Government’s point of view.
The policy of His Majesty’s Government, as I understand it, has been directed to
three ends only, namely, (1) to secure to British subjects free access to and proper
treatment in Nejd, and more especially in the coastal regions ; (2) to avert developments
in that region which would disturb the general peace of the Gulf and the performance
of British duties there ; and (3) to prevent, or at least postpone, anything which might
lead to a general Arab outbreak, and so endanger the integrity of the Turkish dominions
in Asia.
His Majesty’s Government having, by the agreement of the 29th July last,,
recognised the entirely Ottoman character of Nejd and the El Hassa coast, it appears to
me that the three aims just described can only be pursued consistently with that
agreement by allowing the Porte to impose on Bin Saud', in fact, in so far as the
El Hassa is concerned, the position which, as between ourselves and the Turkish
Government, he is admitted to occupy in theory; in other words, to require either that
he shall administer El Hassa as a Turkish officer, or allow the Turks to administer it
themselves. So far as the first aim is concerned, Bin Saud might or might not, as an
autonomous potentate, treat British subjects more favourably than the Turkish Govern
ment would do. As for the second, there may be rival advantages in both alternatives,,
hut I consider that there is something to be said in favour of having to deal with a
Government which has now recognised our special position m the Gulf, should that
Government be able to assert effective control over El Hassa.
Turning to the third object, it is obviously impossible to foresee the course of events
in the Ottoman Arab world generally, but I think, on the whole, that the chances of
an upheaval might be increased rather than diminished if an influential and centrally
placed chief like Bin Saud were to consolidate his power and extend it permanently to
the seaboard. . .. ^ tt-
I have analysed what I conceive to be the objects of the general policy of ^ His
Majesty’s Government in regard to Nejd, because it appears to me that recent British
action may give rise to apprehension in the minds of the Turkish Ministers that His
Majesty’s Government are in reality pursuing another object, namely, that of estab
lishing relations with Bin Saud which will in some sort reduce him to a state of
semi-dependency on Great Britain. i t • i • , ,
It must be remembered that a series of coincidences have occurred which might
encourage this suspicion in the Turkish mind. A month before Bin Saud s descent on
El Hassa the British agent at Koweit visited him in the interior. Early in the present
year he was visited by other British officers, with the result that Hakki Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was
instructed to make a complaint in London. _ . T) .
In March an endeavour of the Porte to enter into direct negotiations with Bm
Saud through the emissary Omar Fauzi was foiled owing to the coldness of the Sheikh
of Koweit, a British protege. At the beginning of April the commercial interests of the
British India Company made it seem desirable that the British agent at Bahrein should ,
give them a written recommendation to Bin Saud, a step which, however innocent the
objects of the mission, was again open to misconstruction. Finally, when Bm baud
eventually agreed to meet the Turkish Commission, it was arranged that the meeting
should take place at Koweit, and he was visited twice by the British agent there while
the negotiations were in progress. When to these is added the lively interest which
[2136 s—3]
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Content

This volume contains part 2 of the subject 'Persia Gulf'. It primarily concerns British policy towards Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] following the latter's occupation of Ottoman-ruled El Hassa [Al Hasa]. Included in the volume are the following:

Correspondents include the following:

The part includes a divider that gives the subject and part number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in the part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (269 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 2182 (Persia Gulf) consists of 8 volumes: IOR/L/PS/10/384-391. The volumes are divided into 12 parts with part 1 comprising the first volume, part 2 comprising the second volume, part 3 comprising the third volume, parts 4-5 comprising the fourth volume, part 6 comprising the fifth volume, parts 7-8 comprising the sixth volume, parts 9-10 comprising the seventh volume, and parts 11-12 comprising the eighth volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 271; 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 present in parallel between ff 6-270; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 2182/1913 Pt 2 'Persian Gulf Situation in El Katr Policy towards Bin Saud' [‎95r] (191/543), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/385, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036585686.0x0000c0> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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