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Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [413r] (830/1186)
The record is made up of 1 file (589 folios). It was created in 3 Aug 1933-31 Jan 1934. It was written in English. 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.
Oft-
4a
'S D0CI3MSHT is THE PROPERTY OP HIS BRI TAHITI G MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT) •
E^O^T-
P^21il33l
COPY NO.
/O
CABINET.
RELATIONS WITH PERSIA - BASILU INCIDE NT.
Memo random By the First Lord of t>ie Admiralty.
1 . I fully realise the strength of the objections to
strong action against Persia on the present occasion, cut
I' m ust emphasise that the Persians have committed a gross
insult to the British Flag, such as would not he tolerated
by any other civilised country. It was carried out by the
senior officer of the Persian Navy and can scarcely thereiore
be called a mistake. Whether it was originally a mistake
or not, the telegrams we have received from the Persian
Gulf leave no doubt about its disastrous effect on Arab
opinion. Bearing this in mind, I think the disavowals
spontaneously offered by the Shah and his promised apol
ogy
,, - . T v, „v fv-pfhprmore, that we should V
are worthless: I think, j.ur oueimuic, u.±g v.
insist upon reparation in ceremonial xox^*, ~ct
following reasons.
2. We have to secure two things. The first is our
prestige on the Arab shore of the Gulf. For more than 100
years Great Britain has Been the arbiter of the Gulf and it
is mainly our prestige which has brought to an end
constant strife between Persian and Arab, and between
conflicting Arab tribes, and which has rendered possible the
virtual suppression of gun-running and the slave trace.
• ivr -ppqult of Naval power; and its
This prestige is mainly tne res-iu
^ ^o-nprMallv to oriental eyes, is
outward and visible sign, especian.,
the British Flag which has now been msulteu.
%. The second, and perhaps more important, occect
the rehabilitation of our position in the eyes of Persra.
We have, since the war, tried consistently to establish goo
relations with Persia by a policy of conciliation. The only
-1-
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British diplomatic and naval officials concerning an incident on 31 July 1933 when four Persian naval officers landed at Basidu (a naval station on Qishm island used by Britain) and took down the British flag in the presence of witnesses including an Italian and a Frenchman. Subsequently, a Royal Navy vessel arrived at the station and the British flag was re-hoisted.
The correspondence discusses the details of the incident itself, its aftermath and its impact on Britain's relations with the Government of Iran. It also covers what steps were taken to 'restore British prestige in the eyes of the Gulf Arabs', including details regarding the dispatch of a royal navy flotilla to the region.
In addition to correspondence, the file also contains the following:
- Relevant press cuttings regarding the incident and Britain's response (folios 78, 169, 311 and 364)
- Copy of a circular clarifying the sequence of events in Basidu that was issued by the British authorities in the Gulf (folio 11)
- 'Copy of a note dated the 14th August 1933, from the Head Clerk, H.B.M.'s Consulate, Bandar Abbas, regarding a conversation which recently took place between the Governor of Bandar Abbas and the Consulate Mirza' (folio 255)
- 'Basidu Incident' a summary of events written by J V Creagh, Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (folios 329-331)
- 'Extract from Cabinet Conclusions dated 5th September 1933 - Relations with Persia, Basidu Incident' (folios 370-376)
- 'Legal Status of Basidu' (folios 398-399)
- 'Cabinet: Relations with Persia - Basidu Incident. Memorandum by the First Lord of the Admiralty' (folios 413-415)
- Cabinet Memorandum regarding Basidu Incident (folios 416-417)
- 'Foreign Office Memorandum for submission to the Cabinet on the subject of the Flag Incident at Basidu' (folios 435-440)
- A small sketch map marking the boundaries of 'British Basidu' (folio 536).
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 (589 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 591; 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3775
- Title
- Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:77v, 79r:168v, 170r:310v, 312r:363v, 365r:590v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence