'Report and Proceedings of the Standing Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Persian Gulf' [‎36v] (77/94)

all we have to depend upon for an indication of the correct boundary as recommended
by the commissioners is the document issued as Appendix B to Mr. Parker’s memo
randum of December 1906. I beg respectfully to enquire what is the precise value
and authority of this document, either as to the correct position of the geographical
features, which are necessarily very sparsely shown on such a small-scale map, or as to
the position of the mediating commissioners’ line in relation to those features ?
Secondly, as regards the fort of Sheikh Jabir, understood to have been demolished
in 1850 by order of the commissioners, I have asked Lieutenant Wilson to see what
information he can obtain quietly in Mohammerah on this point, but the records at
Mohammerah are meagre and incomplete, and if there is no objection I beg that I may
be favoured with copies of any documents in possession of His Majesty’s Foreign Office
either bearing on the precise site ot the structure or giving details of what passed in
connection with its destruction. v
I trust that, in view of the importance attaching to the subject locally, I shall be
pardoned for troubling you with these enquiries.
A copy of this communication is being sent to His Majesty’s charge d’affaires,
Tehran, for information.
I have. &c.
P. z. COX,
British Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and
Consul-General for Pars, dec.
[31489] (4.)
Foreign Office to Lieutenant-Colonel Cox.
(No. 3.)
Shg Foreign Office, September 15, 1910.
I AM directed by Secretary Sir Edward Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your
despatch No. 5 of the 7th ultimo relative to the question of the Turco-Persian frontier
as affecting the possessions of the Sheikh of Mohammerah.
With reference to the further arguments which you put forward therein in favour
of the reconsideration by His Majesty’s Government of the decision adopted by them
in 1908 as to the line which should be recognised, I am to transmit to you herewith
3°py of a despatch from Mr. Marling when His Majesty’s charge d’affaires at Tehran,*
supporting the recommendations contained in your despatch No. 25 of the 8th May to
him (copy of which had already been received as the enclosure in your despatch No 2
of the same date), together with copy of Sir E. Grey’s reply to Sir G. Barclay,!
explaining his views in somewhat greater detail.
As regards the two special points respecting which you desire information, viz.,
the value and authority of the map forming Appendix (B) of Mr. Parker’s memorandum
of December 1906 and the situation of the fort belonging to Sheikh Jabir, I am to
forward a memorandum containing the required explanations as far as it is possible to
furnish them.
I am, &c.
LOUIS MALLET.
Enclosure.
Memorandum by Mr. Parker respecting the Points raised by Lieutenant-Colonel Cox in
his Despatch No. 5 of the 7th August, 1910, on the Turco-Persian Frontier
Question as regards (a) the Map showing the Decisions arrived at by the Mediating
Commissioners in regard to the Mohammerah District in 1850, and (b) the Fort of
bheikh Jabir.
WHEN, in 1850, the Turkish and Persian commissioners had put forward
conflicting pretensions with regard to the southern portion of the Turco-Persian
frontier, the mediating commissioners decided that:—
Pour arranger cette question il faut que nous ayons en vue le but veritable du
trade. Le traits a en vue de rendre Mohumreh un endroit de commerce et d’assurer
* Mr, Marling, No. 116, July 4, 1910.
f To Sir G. Barclay, No 143, August 30, 1910.