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File 4011/1923 Pt 1 'PERSIAN GULF NEGOTIATIONS 1928-33. BASIDU.' [43r] (90/1306)
The record is made up of 1 volume (649 folios). It was created in 22 Oct 1923-29 Nov 1933. It was written in English, French and Arabic. 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.
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
PERSIA.
October 26, 1933.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
[E 6442/1273/34]
No. 1.
19
Foreign Office to Attorney-General and Solicitor-General.
Gentlemen, ^ Foreign Office, October 26, 1933.
I HAVE the honour, by direction of Secretary Sir John Simon, to request
the favour of your advice on a question on which it is desired to reach an urgent
decision, in connexion with the proposed early resumption of negotiations for
a general treaty settlement with Persia.
2. The question on which your opinion is desired is the status of a small
area known as British Basidu at the north-western corner of the Persian island
of Qishm at the mouth of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. This area, the boundaries of which
have never been definitely demarcated, contains, apart from a native village, a
few store-houses, guard-houses and other buildings, a flag-staff and a British-
Indian cemetery. For more than a hundred years the British flag has been flown
from the flag-staff; from 1823 to 1883 the area was in regular use as a naval
station, and was occupied by a British garrison of varying size. In 1883 the
garrison was removed, although the station continued in use for naval purposes,
principally as a coal depot. In 1913 the naval station was transferred to the
neighbouring island of Henjam, and since that time Basidu has been regarded
as of value only as a possible alternative to Henjam (which is used by His
Majesty’s ships only on sufferance), or as a pawn for use in eventual treaty
negotiations with Persia, and has not been in regular occupation. The flag has
continued to fly there in the charge of a native caretaker, and British warships
have at irregular intervals landed detachments, which, notwithstanding the
uncertainty as to the exact boundaries, are understood to have performed a
ceremony described as ‘‘beating the bounds.”
3. In the course of recent negotiations with Persia for a general Anglo-
Persian treaty settlement, His Majesty’s Government had expressed their
willingness, provided that a satisfactory treaty were concluded, to transfer the
British rights at Basidu to Persia by an article in the proposed treaty. The
terms of such an article have already been discussed and agreed upon (subject
to the conclusion of a satisfactory treaty) with the Persian Government (see
Paper C). It was intended to reopen the general negotiations with Persia in
the near future, but certain recent events have led the Admiralty to take the
view that for strategic reasons it might be preferable to transfer the naval
station back to Basidu from Henjam, and that, accordingly, it may be undesirable
to effect the proposed transfer of the British rights at Basidu to Persia,
4. The question whether His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom
should attempt to maintain the existing position at Basidu must depend to a
large extent on the legality of that position, and it is on this question that your
advice is urgently requested. Although it is clear from the attached historical
note (Paper B) that rights of a fairly extensive character have, in fact, been
exercised by His Majesty’s Government within the concession during the period
of its occupation, the precise nature and extent of those rights is not known;
but, as far as it has been possible to ascertain, the Persian officials stationed
in the neighbouring village of “ Persian Basidu,” situated outside the concession
area, appear to have made no attempt until very recently to collect taxes, to
conscript natives of “ British Basidu,’ or to interfere in its affairs in any way.
Order appears to have been maintained when necessary by the British naval
or military authorities.
5. The concession is held by His Majesty’s Government under a written
grant in very general terms made in 1820 by the then Imam of Muscat (see
paragraph 2i of Paper B), confirmed in a subsequent Anglo-Muscati Agreement
of 1864 (see paragraph 43 of Paper B) as having been freely made by the original
grantor on behalf of himself, his heirs and successors.
[9208]
About this item
- Content
This volume relates to the British occupation of Basidu, situated on Kishm [Qeshm] Island in the Gulf, close to the south coast of Persia [Iran], and occupied by the British since the early 1820s. It is stated in the correspondence that the site had been used mainly as a coal depot for British naval vessels until 1913, and that since then it has been retained on 'political grounds', as a potential bargaining asset in negotiations with Persia.
The correspondence primarily concerns the British claim (or lack thereof) to Basidu, in the event of the Persian Government questioning Britain's ongoing occupation. It covers the history of Basidu's status and the various existing agreements that relate to it, as part of an attempt by the British to gather documentary evidence to support their claim. Also discussed are a number of reported incidents at Basidu, involving British representatives and the local Persian authorities, mainly regarding customs, taxes, and the presence of the British naval guard. In addition, the correspondence touches on Anglo-Persian relations in general, with occasional references being made to ongoing treaty negotiations between the two countries.
The volume's principal correspondents are as follows: the 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the British Minister in Tehran; the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; officials 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. , the Foreign Office, the Admiralty, and the Government of India's Foreign and Political Department. Other notable but less frequent correspondents include the following: the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; the Viceroy of India; the Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station; the Law Officers of the Crown.
Included with the correspondence are several related documents, including the following: two sketch maps (f 622); copies (in English and Arabic) of a treaty dated 1856 between Muscat and Persia, in which the Imam of Muscat acknowledges Kishm Island as being part of the Persian Empire (f 179 and ff 221-223); draft and final copies of an 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. memorandum dated 18 October 1933, outlining Britain's understanding of the history of the status of Basidu from 1720 to 1928, including extracts from nineteenth century reports and related correspondence (ff 46-54 and ff 123-159); a submission of reference, prepared by 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 Foreign Office, for the Law Officers of the Crown, requesting the latter's legal opinion on the strength of the British claim to Basidu (ff 43-45 and ff 67-83); a copy of a secret report on Basidu, prepared by the Commander-in-Chief at the East Indies Station, containing extracts from the East Indies Station's records and notes from the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (ff 16-38).
The Arabic language material consists of the aforementioned treaty text. The material written in French consists of small extracts from correspondence and treaty articles. It should be noted that there is no material covering the years 1924 and 1925.
The volume includes two dividers, which give a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (ff 4-5).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (649 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 4011 ( Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Negotiations) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/1094-1095. The volumes are divided into two parts, with each part comprising one volume.
- 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 651; 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, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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File 4011/1923 Pt 1 'PERSIAN GULF NEGOTIATIONS 1928-33. BASIDU.' [43r] (90/1306), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1094, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100077104051.0x00005b> [accessed 18 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/1094
- Title
- File 4011/1923 Pt 1 'PERSIAN GULF NEGOTIATIONS 1928-33. BASIDU.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:43r, 45r:52r, 53v, 55r:56r, 58r:71v, 73r:73v, 75r:75v, 78r:102v, 104r:104v, 107v:151v, 155r:162v, 168r:178v, 180r:198v, 200r:206v, 208r:220v, 224r:240v, 245r:251v, 256r:258v, 260r:302v, 306r:329v, 333r:344v, 346r:596v, 598r:621v, 623r:650v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence