File 4949/1912 Pt 5 Persian Gulf: Abu Musa oxide [‎2v] (4/592)

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memorandum is inaccurate in stating that Sagar
granted to Salim the revenue of the island, in
cluding that derived from the mines, is not
warranted by the facts ; nor is it accurate to say,
as the German memorandum does, that “ Sakar in
his own account only speaks of having assigned to
Salim the amount of the rent of the oxide mines.”
Sheikh Sagar’s statement was as follows : “ Seeing
that Sheikh Salim had ceased not to complain
that the sum of 400 dollars was not sufficient for
his subsistence, I voluntarily set aside the amount
of this rent for him, that it might make up his
subsistence, so that the total of what came in to
him yearly might be 600 dollars as befoie, and
over, and that no cause of soreness might be left
to him on account of the paucity of his allowance.
I have absolutely not given him any deed in con
nection with the island nor in regard to the mines
therein ; all I did was to relinquish the income to
him in the way of financial assistance from me to
him, and it was done voluntarily and at my own
discretion ” (First British Memorandum, Appen
dix 5). The words “ I have absolutely not given
him any deed in connection with the island nor in
regard to the mines therein ' show clearly that
the word “ income” which follows refers not only
to the income irom the mines, but to the whole
income derived from the island. And Sheikh *
Salim states : “ You were kind enough to place
the island of Abu Musa under my supervision, so
that T might cultivate therein and leap from ii'
the means of subsistence” (First British Memo
randum, Appendix i). There can be no doubt
that Sheikh Sagar permitted Salim to enjoy all
revenue that might accrue from the island. In
practice the only substantial revenue was deii\ed
from the oxide mines ; the other sources of income
mentioned in the Second German Memorandum • ^
will be discussed later.
•*
The question at issue being whether the island
of Abu Musa is the property of Sheikh Salim or
of Sheikh Sagar in his capacity as Sheikh of
Shargah, His Majesty’s Government brought
forward as evidence in support of their contention
declarations by both the suggested claimants,
each of whom stated in the clearest possible way
that the island is the property of Sheikh Sagar
(First British Memorandum, Appendices 1 and 5)
Evidence of so cogent and convincing a nature