'File No. II/9 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re. affairs in Persian Gulf, Maskat & Arabian Shore of the Persian Gulf. Nov '07 - Dec '08.' [‎21v] (44/132)

invoked the assistance of the Resident.
His departure in this instance from ordinary
procedure and previous precedent appeared
to indicate some ulterior motive from the
outset.
The Government of India trusted that the
case would be discussed in London with the
German Ambassador since they anticipated
that, otherwise, the German Minister at
Tehran might instigate a revival of the
Persian claims to the island. The expectation
of the Government of India as to this had been
fulfilled, and it seemed particularly desirable
therefore that further discussion of the case
at Tehran should, if possible, be stopped.
The Government of India recommended,
if the incident was likely to be further pro
tracted, that Mr. Marling should inform the
German Minister that the Trucial Chiefs
were under the jurisdiction of the Resident
and that complaints of their proceedings
should at any rate in the first instance be
preferred to him. The fact that Messrs.
Wonckhaus* agent had endeavoured to deal
direct with the Sheikh in matter, and had
throughout made no reference to Persian Gov
ernment, would probably render it difficult
for the Germans to press for Persian inter
ference at this stage.
The Government of India attached
great importance to the maintenance of the
Resident’s authority and jurisdiction over the
Trucial Chiefs. He was not under the
Minister at Tehran in regard to them. Pinally
the facts of case were well known at Bushire
where Mr. Brown had the assistance of the
German Consul.
In connection with a rumour that Messrs.
Wonckhaus intended to send a vessel to
remove the accumulated red oxide, the Secre
tary of State telegraphed that the greatest
caution uas necessary pending an examination
of the German case, and Mr. Marling was
instructed that Messrs. Wonckhaus should be
allowed in any case and without conditions to
ship all accumulated oxide and that the Sheikh
of Shargah should be informed.
On the 9th January, a further telegram
was addressed to the Secretary of State stating
that 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.
reported that the Sheikh of Sharga had failed
to maintain guards effectively on the island
owing to apathy and disinclination to incur
expense. He suggested either that the Gov
ernment of India should buy or lease the island
from the Sheikh by secret document or that,
with a view to the maintenance of a guard,
they should subsidise the third concessionaire,
Esa bin Abdul Latif, who was incensed at the
conduct of his co-partner. If the Sheikh con
sented, Esa bin Abdul Latif would undertake