PZ 4718/1934 ‘Historical Memorandum on Bahrein.’ [‎8r] (15/48)

13
prepared to encounter in any scheme of this kind the active
rcZsta^ct the Mini te G0TCrnraent “ India -” Ia ^
circumstances the Minister was instructed to inform the
Persian Government that “ Her Majesty’s Government had
heard with regret that that Government contemplated taking
part m the disputes respecting the Government of Bahrein
that such a proceeding would be viewed with much jealousy
^'A he f B p h t Govern ™^t in India; and that unless the
right of Persia to interfere m the matter is beyond dispute
any interference on her part might lead to unpWsan
discussions with England. For, although Her Majesty’s
Government do not dispute the right of Persia as an
independent power to adopt any line of policy not inconsistent
with its engagements to foreign states which she might
think advantageous to herself, they claim for themselves a
corresponding right to judge and act in such matters as
they may think fit.
Discussions with Persia, 1844-45.
45. On a communication in these terms being made to
the Persian Prime Minister, the Prime Minister ‘‘said he
would undertake to prove the right of Persia to possession
of that island, and that in the meantime he would not make
any movement against it without giving previous notification
of such an intention to the British Government.”
46. In February 1845 the Minister at Tehran sent home
a letter received from the Prime Minister, from which it
appeared that the Persian claim was essentially based on the
Convention of 1822 between Captain Bruce and the Minister
of the Prince Governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). of Fars. (See paragraphs 20-21
above.)
47. In a subsequent despatch the Minister said that he
had informed the Prime Minister that the Bruce Agreement
was unauthorised and had been repudiated at the time, and
that the Prime Minister had thereupon sent him a fuller
statement of the grounds of the Persian claim. The result
of enquiries which His Majesty’s Minister had made con
sequent on the receipt of this statement “ confirmed me in
the opinion that this island has not formed part of the
dominions of Persia since the accession of the Kajar dynasty
[17951. It is true that the Chiefs of Bahrein have in all
probability from time to time given peeshkesh, offerings, or
tribute to this country [Persia] as a mark of superiority, as
Kandahar and Herat continue to do, without an acknow
ledgment of subjection,' :i: ' and it is also not unlikely that
the rulers of that island may have declared themselves to
be subjects of the Shah when threatened with subjugation
from Bagdad, but I cannot ascertain that Persia has
exercised any real control over it within the last 50 or
60 years.” The Minister added that in further support of
their claim the Persian Government had sent him a gold
coin struck at Bahrein in 1817 in the name of Fateh Ah
Shah Kajar, which he believed to be genuine.
48. The fuller statement of .claim put forward by the
Persian Government was investigated by the Secret Com
mittee of the East India Company, who, after detailed
examination of it, reached the conclusion “ that Persia has
no legitimate claim to the sovereignty of Bahrein. It may
be remarked that the Persian claim was largely based on
a general claim that the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from the Shatt-el-
Arab to M uscat and all the islands m it belonged to
~~ * On this point the Secret Committee Pre-1784, the Committee responsible for protecting East India Company shipping. Post-1784, its main role was to transmit communications between the Board of Control and the Company's Indian governments on matters requiring secrecy. of the East India Company
remarked • “ Presents and complimentary messages do not imply an
acknowledgment of sovereignty and they ha™ not been confined to
Persia.” ( Secret Committee Pre-1784, the Committee responsible for protecting East India Company shipping. Post-1784, its main role was to transmit communications between the Board of Control and the Company's Indian governments on matters requiring secrecy. to India Board, 31st July Is-io.)
2953
Teh. toF.O.,
Ho. 69 of
22.6.1844.
Teh. to F.O.,
Ho. 19 of
25.2.1845.
Teh. to F.O.,
Ho. 28 of
18.3.1845.
Secret Com
mittee to Bd.
of Control,
31.7.1845.