File 2902/1916 ‘Treaties and Engagements between the British Government and the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast of the Persian Gulf’ [‎38v] (87/448)

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COPY OP A LETTER EROM SIR ARTHUR HARDINGE TO SHAIKH
OE M.OHAMMERAH, DATED TEHRAN, 7th DECEMBER
1902.
I trust that Your Excellency is in the enjoyment of all health and well
being.
I write to inform you, my honoured friend, of my return to Teheran from
Europe and to enquire after your health.
It was a great disappointment to me that I was unable to visit you this
spring; but, as you know, I was obliged to go to England instead. I hope,
however, that it may he possible for me at no distant date to have the pleasure
of making your personal acquaintance.
I was very glad to hear from Haji Rais ut-Tujjar of the satisfactory
arrangement concluded between you and the Department of Customs. On
general groueds of policy it is very desirable that differences should, as far as
possible, be avoided between the Persian authorities and the Arab tribes under
your rule. The relations between the British and Persian Governments are
of a friendly character and the preservation of the integrity and independence
of the Persian monarchy has for many years been one of the great objects
of British policy in this part of the world. Disturbances of a nature to
imperil that object would be a serious evil, and you would gain little and
might endanger much by throwing off the sovereignty of the Shah. I am
convinced that under present circumstances the Arabs and yourself as their
ruler have every interest in cultivating good and loyal relations with the
Government of Teheran, and that the latter has no desire to oppress you or
curtail your authority. Eor this reason, I think you acted wisely in giving
up all idea of forcible resistance to the establishment of a Customs house
and in seeking rather to come, as I have from the first urged you to
do, to a friendly understanding on the subject with the Customs
Administration.
Haji Rais ut-Tujjar asked me on your behalf to what extent you might
rely on the protection of the British Government, and I told him that so long
as you behaved to us, as you have done in the past, in a friendly manner,
our influence would be exerted here to maintain you and your tribes in the
enjoyment of your hereditary rights and customs and to dissuade the
Government of Teheran from any endeavour to diminish or interfere with them.
Haji Rais ut-Tujjar thereupon said that you were not afraid of the Persian
Government itself nor of attacks by neighbouring tribes acting or professing
to act under its orders, but that you wished to know whether we should
protect you in the event of an attempt by a foreign power to depose
you or deprive your people of the rights which they at present possess.
This might happen in two ways: either such a power might be at war
with Persia and might as an enemy of the Shah send ships to attack your
district, or such power pretending to be the friend of the Persian Government
or to act in its behalf might attempt also by means of its ships to conquer
vou and the Arabs. I replied that both contingencies were extremely unlikely,
but if either were to arise w r e should, I believe, interfere provided you had
acted in accordance with our advice, and our fleet which is the strongest of any
in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. would be employed to prevent any forcible measures
against you. I added, however, that I would refer these questions to
the Foreign Minister of the British Government and he has now authorized
me to say that we shall protect Mohammerah against naval attack by a
foreign powder, whatever pretext for such action may be alleged, and also, so
long as you remain faithful to the Shah and act in accordance with our advice
w r e will continue to give you our good offices and support.
As I have, however, said above, I do not regal’d the danger, at any rate
at present, as a real one.