Skip to item: of 1,062
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain' [‎104v] (213/1062)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file in 3 parts (519 folios). It was created in 25 May 1934-23 Sep 1948. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

I
Resdt. to
Tehran,
No. 210,
16.7.1860.
Resdt to
Constant.,
3.6.1860.
Teh. to Bn.,
No. 16 of
4.5.1860.
I. O. to F.O.,
II . 2.1861.
F.O. to I.O.,
12.2.1861.
S. of S. to G.
of I., No. 2,
18 . 2 . 1861 .
Pol. Res.
to Sheikh,
25.5.1861.
16
Persian flag continued to fly during the Sheikh’s negotiations with the lurks,
but on the latter withdrawing, and subsequently communicating assurances o a
character satisfactory to the Sheikh from the Turkish Government Ae Tmkish
flag was hoisted on the forts in place of the Persian flag m Ma> 1 b J and the
Sheikh agreed to pay tribute to Turkey. The Persian emissary,
to leave Bahrein “or surrender his imaginary authority m the Sheikhdom
The Resident reported in July 1860 that “ the Ottoman flag has now become the
national one.” The Sheikh appears to have endeavoured to pla} on each pai ty
against the other.
Views of the Minister at Tehran and the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions.
68. The Minister at Tehran regarded the matter as one of relatively small
importance. He pointed out to the Persian Government “ that under no circum
stances can the British Government be expected to concur m the proposed
transfer of the sovereignty of Bahrein to the Persian Grown, since we have
contracted engagements with the Arab Sheikhs of the island as independent
Chiefs, and since the maintenance of their independence is indispensable to the
successful working of those plans of maritime police in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. which
we have been at so much pains and expense to establish ; and obtained an
assurance from Persia that no military occupation of Bahrein should be
attempted until the title to the island had been settled through the diplomatic
channel. He advised the Resident that, while hostilities against Bahrein were
to be repelled by force, a voluntary tender of allegiance by the Sheikh to any
other Power might, so long as it was unaccompanied by any military occupation,
be ignored as of no particular importance. In the light of the Minister’s views
the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. instructed the Resident that he should not interfere
with the occupation of Bahrein, whether by Persia or Turkey, save by protest
and by an intimation that the matter had been referred to Her Majesty’s
Government; but at the same time that the agents of both Powders (Turkey and
Persia) should be warned that aggression by or in the name of Bahrein on neigh
bouring tribes would not be allowed and would, if necessary, be prevented by
force. In representing the matter to the Secretary of State for India they
urged that in the interests of the peace of the Gulf it would be better that
Bahrein should be regarded as independent and as subject neither to Turkey nor
to Persia, that its independence should be recognised, and the engagements into
which in the interests of humanity we had entered with its rulers for the preser
vation of the peace and good order of the Gulf should be maintained.
Her Majesty’s Government decide that Bahrein shall be regarded as
Independent (1861)
69. In February 1861 Her Majesty’s Government, after discussion between
the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Foreign Office, approved the recommendation of the
Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. . The Resident and the Minister at Tehran were so
informed. During part of the time at any rate that the question was under
consideration in London the Turkish and Persian agents or their representatives
appear (though it is not clear how consistently) to have remained in Bahrein,
and the flags of both Powers to have been flown simultaneously. On
27th February, 1861, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. reported that “ the Persian and
Turkish flags still fly on the forts of the island and in an interview that
Commander Cruttenden had with Sheikh Md. bin Khahfah at his own request
he (the Chief) remarked in respect to them that they were displayed ‘ merely to
suit his own fancy. What did he care for Turk or Persian ? He valued ^ the
friendship of the British Government highly.’ ”
British Convention of 31st May, 1861, with the Sheikh
/0. In May 1861 the Sheikh, refusing to discontinue a blockade which he
had imposed on the vVahabi coast, was informed by the Resident of the decision
of Her Majesty s Government that he was regarded as an independent Chief and
that in these circumstances he must be held responsible by them for any piratical
activities in which he might indulge. The Sheikh proved obdurate; he was
threatened with forcible measures by the Resident and two of his ships were
seized. He accordingly submitted, and on 31st May, 1861, he signed a Friendly
with the Resident, acting on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, by
which ne entered into a perpetual treaty of peace and friendship ” with Great
Li itam, and m which, as independent ruler of Bahrein, he acknowledged as

About this item

Content

The file concerns the claim of the Government of Iran (generally referred to as the Government of Persia) to territorial sovereignty over Bahrein [Bahrain].

The papers include: the Iranian claim in the light of the Bahrain oil concession; representations by the Government of Iran to the League of Nations, and the involvement of League in the dispute; summary of diplomatic correspondence, 1927-29 (folios 506-511); India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein', dated 14 July 1934 - a historical summary of the political status of Bahrain, and Persian claims to sovereignty; the submission of the question by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. to the Law Officers of the Crown, 1934 (folios 466-472), and the report of the Law Officers of the Crown (folios 400-403), stating their opinion that Persia had no rights of sovereignty or suzerainty over Bahrain; the view of the Foreign Office (subsequently adopted) that references in public pronouncements to the independence of Bahrain needed to be qualified by the statement that the ruler was 'in special treaty relations with His Majesty's Government' (folios 378-380); the status of Tamb and Abu Musa (folio 361); the imposition of Iranian import duty on aviation oil supplied to Bahrain (folios 315-316); the views of the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on the dangers of submitting the question to international arbitration (folios 308-314); similarities to the dispute between the United States of America (USA) and the Netherlands over Palmas Island [Miangas or Palmas, Indonesia] (e.g. folios 306-307); the views of the Government of Saudi Arabia (folios 268-270); the issue of passports and visas; transcripts of articles in support of the Iranian position in the Iranian and Arabic language press; the effect of the Bahrain nationality and property laws; Italian propaganda in support of the Iranian claim (folio 243); comparison with the Falkland Islands (folio 210); the refusal of the Iranian postal authorities to accept mails from Bahrain (folio 186); the involvement of the United Nations Organisation; Foreign Office 'Memorandum on Bahrein', dated 13 January 1947, substantially based on the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein' of 1934 (folios 97-126); Soviet propaganda over Bahrain (folio 57); the presence in Tehran of a person claiming to represent the Bahrain National Party (folios 50-54); and correspondence dated 1948 concerning the size and position of the Persian community in Bahrain, including a letter on the subject from Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (folios 25-37).

The file contains significant correspondence from the Foreign Office, HM Minister, Tehran (later the British Ambassador to Tehran), and the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .

The French language content of the file consists of approximately thirty folios of diplomatic correspondence and newspaper extracts.

The file also contains copies of earlier correspondence, dated 1927-31.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file in 3 parts (519 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: this file consists of three physical parts. The foliation sequence commences at the front cover of part one with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover of part three with 525; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-524; these numbers are printed, but are not circled.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain' [‎104v] (213/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3810, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100059426984.0x00001a> [accessed 28 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100059426984.0x00001a">Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain' [&lrm;104v] (213/1062)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100059426984.0x00001a">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x00017a/IOR_L_PS_12_3810_0225.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x00017a/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image