Previous 2/1186Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎480v] (965/1186)
966/1186 NextColl 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎481v] (967/1186)
View all items
Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎481r] (966/1186)
Previous 2/1186Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎480v] (965/1186)
966/1186 NextColl 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎481v] (967/1186)
Skip to item: of 1,186
See full record
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎481r] (966/1186)

This item is part of
Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu'
1186 images
Ref: IOR/L/PS/12/3775

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.

Apply page layout

3
i
nute Paper.
Department.
«!tt Z~>
U|
—oi/rungxy xo tne Minister
for Foreign Affairs (F.z.5277/33). He remained of
opinion, however, that we ought not to go heyond his
original suggestions, though under pressure he would
he prepared to go a little further. His views are
set out in Foreign Office letter of 24th August on
P.Z.5279. The Foreign Office were in general
disposed to accept the views of the Charge d*Affaires
and submitted a draft telegram. The draft telegram
seemed to both 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 Admiralty
to b e unsatisfactory. The position was complicated
by the fact that the Admiralty had raised their
terms since the meeting of 16th August. They now
insisted on the rehoisting of the flag by the ,, Palang ,,
and also w r ished, failing compliance with our demands,
to be allowed to shadow the Persian Navy. The India
Office remained of opinion that J its attitude
represented a reasonable compromise between the
demands of the Admiralty and the desires of the
Foreign Office, and thought that the proposals in
Foreign Office telegram No.124 of 19th August, if
they could be achieved, would adequately meet the
case. Attention is invited to 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. answer
to the Foreign Office letter of 24th August on
P.Z.5279/33 flagged.
8. Since then there have been certain further
developments. In the first place the Foreign Office
have telegraphed privately to Tehran to explain the
present attitude of 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 Admiralty,
and/

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

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [‎481r] (966/1186), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3775, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100060481232.0x0000a7> [accessed 30 July 2026]

Link to this item

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100060481232.0x0000a7

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_100060481232.0x0000a7">Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [&lrm;481r] (966/1186)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100060481232.0x0000a7">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000648.0x000156/IOR_L_PS_12_3775_0966.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_100000000648.0x000156/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image
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