'File No. II/12 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re: affairs in Persia and Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. Jan '09 --' [‎42v] (84/178)

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that he was unable to recognise the Muin as
the coTiC€S8ionciir6 1 and requested that measures
should be taken to stop him from further
operations on Sirri. Sir G. Barclay informed
the Muin of the attitude of the British Gov
ernment with regard to Sirri, and reminded
him that he had given no proof of any rights
as regards oxide in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. beyond
those conferred by the firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). granted to him
in 1904 by the Persian Government. In reply,
the M uin gave a promise to desist from mining
operations in Sirri.
17. (Vide paragraph 16 of the Memo-
^ ♦ randum for March
sovereignty over 1909.) On the 17th
Bahrein. March, Sir E. Grey, in
informing Sir G. Barclay that His Majesty’s
Government had approved his (Sir G.
Barclay’s) action in accepting the amended
note of the Persian Government, pointed out
that he should at the same time impress on the
latter that His Majesty’s Government could
not consider the arrangement as final, that
they maintained their original attitude on the
subject, and that they would be guided entirely
by their own views of the position should any
action of the Persian authorities make it
necessary.
18. [Vide paragraph 997 of the Memo-
randum (Arabian
ej a airs. affairs) for December
1908]. Hamoud-ibn-Sebhan, the uncle and
guardian of the young Emir of Hail Sooud-
ibn-Rashid, has apparently for some time
been trying to unite the various sub-tribes
of Shammar under his command and to
draw to bis side as many tribes of the
Nejd as possible. He is said to be now in
a position to defy Ibn Saoud and his forces
concentrated in Kassim. The latter has been
deserted by the powerful tribes of Oteibeh
and Muteir. Eurther, the strong sub-tribe of
Shammar, Aslem, who, it was reported, had
left Ibn Rashid about a year ago and
joined Ibn Saoud, has now turned back to
Ibn Sebhan’s side. The latter is said to have
retired from the Kassim frontiers to Hail
early in the year. Ibn Saoud is reported to
have been at Bureideh, in Kassim, about
January. It was, therefore, not considered
probable that these two rivals would be
engaged in battle in the near future.
On the 16th February, Consul Devey
reported that Ibn Rashid had succeeded in
making an alliance with the Harb tribe of the
Hedjaz. Ibn Saoud, on being informed of
this, led an expedition against the tribe and
severely defeated them. Ibn Rashid had, mean
while, attacked and inflicted severe losses on
the Muteir tribe.