PZ 4718/1934 ‘Historical Memorandum on Bahrein.’ [‎12v] (24/48)

22
F.O. to LO.
1.2.1869.
From Gen.
j\! ohsin
Khan,
11.2.1869.
To Gen.
Mohsin
Khan,
5.3.1869.
Gen. Mohsin
Khan to
Duke of
Argyll,
13.4.1869.
1.0. to F.O.,
21.4.1869.
as Governor over the t^/hfd^uir^new
the Sheikh ; had imposed a fine and had req^ ^
^f^b'tiea^^h'ese^rweedings had taken place at a time
SpS^
flying over his fort. . .
89 Her Majesty’s Minister at Tehran was mstrueted
to communicate a suitable explanatory statement to the
Persian Government. The Foreign Office suggested, how
ever, that it might be advisable, in the event of similar
proceedings again becoming necessary, ^.d 30 ^™ 11111 ^ °
should be had with that Government. Vvhile this question
was still under consideration a formal protest against the
Resident’s action was received (11th February 1869) from
the Persian Charge d’Affaires in London, who complained,
inter alia, that the Resident had sunk three ships belonging
to the Governor of Bahrein and fired on his palace on which
the Persian flag flew, and requested that the British Govern
ment would give orders for the repair of the damage caused.
He was informed in reply that “the Sheikh of Bahrein was
an independent chief with whom the British Government
had treaty engagements and whom they must hold stricdy
to the performance of those engagements.
O O nTL : _ ^ 4-4-4-L-»/-v I—'n
and in support of his view he forwarded letters addressed
“ from 1858 to 1869 by the Sheikh of Bahrein to His Imperial
Majesty the Shah and 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 Shiraz.” The
translations of these letters are dated 9th April and 12th
April 1869 respectively. From internal evidence it seems
probable that they were, however, written in 1860 on the
occasion of the visit to Bahrein of the Persian envoy, Mirza
Mehdi Khan (paragraph 67 above). They acknowledge the
receipt of a Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). from the Mirza (apparently recognising
Sheikh Md. as Sheikh and accompanying a Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). and a
Sword of Honour for Sheikh Ali). They state emphatically
that Bahrein forms part of Persia, and has always done so.
They refer to an agreement reached for the future payment
of tribute; remark that “ the slight neglect which was
lately shown on our part towards Your Imperial Majesty’s
Government was because they had not for a while superin
tended and protected us, but as now the Government of Your
Imperial Majesty has intended by sending over Mirza Mehdy
to enquire into and manage the affairs here, I, with my
brother and all the inhabitants, feel quite ready to declare
at once that we are most willing to render any services
required from us towards Your Majesty’s Government, being
already aware that Bahrein ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ) is part of Persia,”
and add “ . . . I will hasten to hoist the flag on my residence
bearing the Lion and the Sun which are the signs of the
Persian Standard.”
nmisn note oi aytn April 1869.
84. The question of the reply to be given to this furtb
protest was carefully considered between the India Ofh
and the Foreign Office. The Duke of Argyll, then Secreta
of State for India, remarked thtft although he was of opini,
that the line of policy which had hitherto been pursm
of regarding the Sheikh of Bahrein as an ipdepende
sovereign, and of refusing to recognise the right
sovereignty advanced by Persia, as had been done in 184
1848 and I860, could not now be abandoned without ve
serious risk of endangering the peace of the Gulf, yet tb
he was not blind to the expediency of avoiding all Cf
of unnecessary irritation at the Court of Tehran and