'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.' [‎56r] (113/132)

ARABIAN SHORE OF THE PERSIAN
GULF.
197. {Vide para. 10$ of the Memorandum
Sirri island red oxide JOr June 1908,) With
concession. reference to an enquiry
from Mr. Marling as to what reply should be
given to the Agent of Messrs. Hadji Ali,
Akbar & Co., who was anxious to open
negotiations for the acquisition of the
concession, the Secretary of State intimated
on the 19th September, that, when applying
for the concession, it would sufTice if the
Persian Government were informed that the
controversy, as to the ownership of the island
of Sirri, had not been reciprocally settled and
that, should a concession be granted to an
applicant not approved by His Majesty’s Gov
ernment, it would lead to an assertion of the
claims of the Jowasmi Chief.
Subsequently, on the 21st September, Mr.
Marling suggested to LI is Majesty’s Secretary
of State the insertion of the words “and on
conditions” after the word “applicant ” in the
communication to the Persian Government,
and, as the Company had not yet been recog
nised by the Persian Government as a British
firm, he proposed, subject to the approval of
the Secretary of State, to impress upon Hadji
Ali Akbar Co.’s Agent the desirability of
making an application as the representative
of a British firm.
198. {Vide para. 194 of the Memorandum
BAHREIN. 1 ° r
British protection of On the 2nd September,
Bahreinese in the Otto- H i S Britannic
man Dominions. -\t • a > * i i
Majesty s Ambassador
at Constantinople forwarded to Sir E. Grey a
copy of the correspondence which had passed
between himself and Mr. Gearv f Acting
British Consul at Basrah) regarding the
desire of certain subjects of the Chief of
Bahrein to be registered at the Consulate.
Mr. Geary reported that the men were in
possession of passports from their Chief and
also of a document signed by Major Prideaux,
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrein, recommending
them to the good offices of British Consular
officials. The Ottoman Government had
attempted to enforce military service in the
Turkish Army on one of these men, but they
had protested against the attempt and appealed
to the Consulate for protection. Mr. Geary
refused their demand as they appeared to
have no claim to British nationality, but
asked for instructions as to the extent to
which protection, if any, should be aff orded to
such claimants. In reply, Sir Gerard Lowther
quoted instances in which His Majesty’s