'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎179r] (362/386)

measures may be taken for their mitigation or removal. But our experience of
Turkish official action in those parts does not lead us to place any confidence in
the results of such a representation.
53
g ecre t, 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. , London ;
33 . 5th August 1904.
To His Excellency the Eight Honourable the Governor-General of
India in Council.
My Lord,
With reference to the
•Persian Gulf: Affairs of Bahrein. British com
mercial interests at Katif.
letters of the Government of India in the
Foreign Department, No- 74, Secret *
of the 31st March 1904, and No. 85
(Foreign—External) t of the 21st April 1904, on the subject of the affairs of
Bahrein and of our commercial interests at Katif, I enclose, for Your Excel-
t To Foreign Office, toed the 2nd and StWaae leU C y ’ 8 information, the COpy of COTTe-
19 C 4 . spondencef with the Foreign Office as to
Two letters from Foreign Office, dated the 21st ^ proposals Submitted in the letters
July 1904, and enclosures. i r i
To Foreign Office, dated the 5th August 1904. Under reply.
2. It will he seen that His Majesty’s Ambassador at Constantinople is
strongly in favour of the appointment of an officer of the graded list of your
Political Department to reside at Bahrein in place of the present Assistant
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. , but that, having regard to the interpretation which the
Turkish Government might place on the appointment of a Consular Officer
for El Hassa, and to the objection they would feel at present to recognbing
such an officer, he does not consider it advisable that effect should be given to
the suggestion that the Political Officer at Bahrein should he invested with
Vice-Consular jurisdiction over the Turkish District of El Hassa. For similar
reasons, Sir N. O’Conor is of opinion that the present moment is unsuited for
appointing a Native Consular Agent at Katif, and he suggests that the cori "
sideration of this proposal should be deferred till the result is seen of the
representations which he has addressed to the Turkish Government in regard to
the grievances of the Indian traders, wdiich formed the subject of the letter of
the Government of India of the 31st March 1904.
3. These views are approved by His Majesty’s Government. I according
ly sanction the appointment of an officer of the graded list of the Pohtica
Department to take the place of Mr. Gaskin, for whom you anticipate that you
will be able to find other employment. I also sanction the proposal to send
a small guard of Native Infantry to Bahrein as a permanent escort to the
Political Officer, and to place at his disposal a boat, by which means the
question, which has been raised, of allowing the Sheikh to arm and equip a
dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. , would be met.
4. I request that I may be informed in due course of the steps taken to
give effect to the proposals now sanctioned, and of the cost that will be in
volved.
I have honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient, humble servant,
St. JOHN BBODIUCK.