'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.' [‎38r] (80/386)

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The peninsula of El Katr, though in itself a barren, poverty-stricken and
sparsely populated tract, is important on account of its proximity to the
ElK;atr Arabian pearl hanks and of the tendency
which its coast has always shown to become
a haunt of pirates. El Bidaa, the chief place in El Katr, is held by the Turks
with a military garrison, but their position there is not recognised as regular
by the British Government. During the viceroyalty of Lord Curzon° the
efforts of the Indian Government were directed to maintaining peace and
security in the adjacent waters and to preventing the extension of Turkish
influence over the peninsula, one result of which ivould certainly be—as
experience in El Bassa has shown—an increase of piracy accompanied by new
difliculties in repressing that form of crime.
In 1899 there were three piracies off the Katr coast and in 1900 a fresh
case of piracy occurred ; but various obstacles prevented a prompt and satis
factory An East India Company trading post. settlement and in 1902 the proceedings were dropped. Lord Curzon,
however, laid down the principle that in future the Sheikh of El Katr and
the inhabitants of the coast villages should be held strictly responsible for
piratical offences committed in their waters or with their connivance, and since
1905 no fresh piracies have taken place. In 1900 some boats of Amamara
from Bahrein, engaged in pearling, were attacked off Wakra in El Katr by
their blood-enemies, the A1 Bin Ali; the matter was promptly taken up by
the Government of India and the aggressors were compelled to pay a fine of
Bs. 1,500.
The intention of the Turks to adopt a forward policy in El Katr was
declared tow r ards the end of 1902, when they prepared to establish Mudirates
not only at, Zubara and Wakra in El Katr but also at Khor El Odeid, which
adjoins El Katr though it is actually situated in the territory of the Trucial
Sheikh of Abu Dhabi. Lord Curzon immediately pointed out that the action
of the Turks was entirely inconsistent with the policy, up to that time, of His
Majesty’s Government in El Katr, and he advised that in view of the relations
of Britain with Bahrein and Abu Dhabi it should be firmly opposed ; the
occupation of Zubara and Odeid by the Turks would, he considered, deal a
serious blow to the whole British position in the Gulf and would gravely com
promise the status of Bahrein. The Porte continued to disclaim the intentions
attributed to it; but none the less, in the spring of 1903, the Mudirs designate
of Zubara and Wakra arrived in El Hassa ; and, notwithstanding representa
tions at Constantinople and dispositions made under the authority of His
Majesty’s Government for intercepting him in Bahrein, the Mudir appointed
to VVakra succeeded in reaching that place and in establishing himself there.
Lord Curzon at once urged that measures should be taken to obtain his with
drawal, and, in consequence of a peremptory demand addressed to the Porte,
his appointment was shortly afterwards cancelled. He was replaced however
by a local nominee, equally invested with the olficial status of Mudir—a status
which he retained until October 1904 when it was at length definitively with
drawn by the Porte at the instance of the British Government. The designs
of the Turks in El Katr were thus effectually checked.
In the course of the negotiations arising out of the piracies of 1899
and 1900 it became apparent that the de facto Sheikh of El Katr, Ahmed-
bin-Muhammad-bin-Thani, whose position between the pirates, the Turks
and the British power was one of extreme difficulty, was desirous of enter
ing into permanent relations with the British Government. This wish was
first mentioned at an interview with the British Resident in 1899; but
the Sheikh frequently returned to the subject and in 1902 he offered, on
condition of his being taken under British protection, to reside at any place
which might be appointed in El Katr, to hold himself responsible for the
security of the adjoining seas, and to co-operate with the British Govern
ment and the Sheikh of Bahrein in matters concerning them on the main-
I md. Lord Curzon was of opinion that an arrangement of the nature in
dicated might be expected to produce satisfactory results, and His Majesty’s
Government agreed that enquiry might be made regarding the position of
Sheikh Ahmad, but only on the understandiug that no decisive step should be