'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.' [‎156v] (317/386)

22
(See No. 1*, Ante.)
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No. 63 (Secret—External), dated Fort William, the 10th March 1901.
From—The Government of Ind : a in the Foreign Department,
To— The Right Hox’ble St. John Bkodrick, His Majesty’s Secretary of State for'
India.
In the course of our recent examination of problems connected with the'
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the question of the pearl-fisheries that have so long existed
there has come under our notice. Important questions, both of policy and
international law, are involved ; and although nme of these has fortunately
hitherto assumed an acute shape, it seems to us desirable that the matter should
be considered now, in order that we may know how id act should any sudden
Or unexpected development occur. We, therefore, address you on the subject.
2. The approximate limits of the pearling grounds in the neighbourhood
of the Arab littoral are indicated on the enclosed copy of a chart of the
Gulf. In addition to those marked, there are also shoals in the neighbourhood
of Kharak Island and at other points along the Persian coast, which arc
regularly exploited and frequently yield considerable returns. We are
immediately concerned, however, only with those lying on the Arabian side
of the Gulf. Along this coast lie the territories of the several Trucial Chiefs,
the peninsula of El Katr, the island of Bahrein, the Turkish province of El
Hassa, and the domains of the Sheikh of Koweit . The pearl banks appear
from time immemorial to have been open, without distinction, to the Arabs of
the entire littoral; and though there are no definite inter-tribal limits, the
external boundaries of the fisheries are well known. Intrusion is resented; the
principal Chiefs have in the past expressed the view that the fisheries are com
mon property, and that no Chief has, therefore, the right to grant any conces
sion to outside parties ; and believing as they do that the shallower waters are
dependent on the deeper for their supply of shells, their objections relate not
only to interference on the shoals which are habitually fished by their depen
dents, but also to the exploitation of the deeper waters beyond.
3. His Majesty s Government are aware of the close relations which exist
between the Arabs of this coast and the Indian Government, Since IS 13 we
have held from the Trucial Chiefs agreements to refrain from any breach of
the peace at sea, and in 1892 the Sheikhs concluded fresh compacts binding
themselves not to enter into any agreement or correspondence with any Power
other than the British Government ; not to consent, except with the permission
of the British Government, to the residence within their territories of the Agent
of any other State ; and not to cede, sell, mortgage, or otherwise give occupation
of any portion oi their territories, save to the British Government. In respect
of El Katr we have at present no formal Conventions. We have declined,
houever, to recognise Turkish pretensions on the peninsula, and the leading
Chief has on more than one occasion approached our officers in the Gulf with a
request that lie may be admitted to closer relations with the Indian Govern
ment. Bahrein has for long been, to all intents and purposes, a British pro
tectorate ; while mtlie case of Koweit, though the Turks have laid claim to
certain ill-defined rights of sovereignty, we have always asserted that the Sheikh
enjoys a large measure of practical independence, and His Majesty’s Govern
ment ha\ e promised him their good offices. The maintenance of the maritime
peace m the Gulf is an object which for more than a century past we have
steadily kept m view in all our dealings with the Arab tribes. To secure this
object we have prohibited the use of armed boats by the Chiefs, and have taken
upon ourselves the duty of policing all these waters. A necessary corollary of
this policy is that the Chiefs cannot themselves adopt forcible measures for the
preservation of ttieir monopoly in connection with the pearl-fisheries. It is
clear, therefore, that we on our part owe to them an oil ligation to defend their
rights so far as they can reasonably be substantiated. This duty carries with it
incidentally the advantage that, if our right to police the pearl banks is
recognised, a large area of the Gulf becomes at once practically British waters. ,
. ! in the past we have on more than one occasion intervened to prevent
1 .?,- n l r ? slQ , n ,. of f01 ’ ei S ne rs. In 1863 a British steamer appeared in the Gulf
with trained divers and scientific appliances, but the steps which were at once
taken by the Besiaent, with the approval of the Bombay Government, sufficed
to frustrate the . attempted encroachment. In 1871, and again in 1890, His
Majesty’s Government, on the advice of the Government of India, declined to