File 4011/1923 Pt 1 'PERSIAN GULF NEGOTIATIONS 1928-33. BASIDU.' [574r] (1152/1306)
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.
[T his Document is the'Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
PERSIA.
CONFIDENTIAL
[October 10, 1927.]
Section 10.
| E 4299/246/34] No. 1.
Sir R. Clive to Sir Austen Chamberlain.—(Received October 10.)
(No. 455.)
gj r Gulhek, September 21, 1927.
WITH reference to my despatch No. 322 of the 1st July regarding an attack
by the Sheikh of Hen jam on the Persian customs official and the customs-house, I
have the honour to transmit to you herewith a copy of a despatch, No. 90 of the
14th August, from His Majesty’s consul-general at Bushire relative to British
rights in Hen jam.
2. Colonel Haworth, who has recently been in Tehran, called at my suggestion
on the Administrator of Customs, and I enclose copy of a minute by him recording a
conversation with MM. Molitor and Delcorde concerning the position at Hen jam
and Basidu.
3. If Colonel Haworth, when he visits Basidu this autumn, recommends that
the Indian watchman at Basidu can perfectly well be replaced by a Persian, we
may hope to have no further complaints of smuggling from the customs authorities.
4. As regards Hen jam, I spoke myself this morning to M. Molitor, who is always
most sensible and friendly, and told him again that we had no territorial designs
whatever on the island. We merely wanted, for the convenience of the navy, the
continuance of the status quo. He perfectly understood and did not anticipate any
trouble. He assured me that the Persian Government had not raised the question
with him and he had no reason to suppose they were likely to do so.
Copies of this despatch are being sent to the Government of India and His
Majesty’s consul-general at Bushire.
I have, &c.
R. H. CLIVE.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Haworth to Sir R. Clive (Tehran).
(No. 90.)
Sir, Bushire, August 14, 1927.
I HAVE the honour to address you on the subject of our telegraph concession
at Henjam and encroachments therein.
2. In your No. 54, dated the 6th July, 1920, you have stated that you are
unable to find any convincing document of our right to this area and state that
you fear we can only depend upon prescriptive right for our position except in so
far as we are entitled to ground for buildings under our Telegraph Concession of
1868.
3. In their No. 391, dated the 6th January, 1927, paragraph 2, the Govern
ment of India concur with this opinion. The question had already been raised in
1905, and is referred to in Government of India telegram, dated the 1st December,
1905, in which they repeat a telegram from the Secretary of State for India, dated
the 7th November of the same year, in which he states that the Persian Government
would certainly oppose any arrangement tending to a British
enclave
An area of land belonging to one country and entirely surrounded by land of just one other country.
on the island.
In repeating this telegram the Government of India state : “If amenities of
station are seriously impaired by Persian encroachments you will no doubt report.
4. The consul, Bunder Abbas, now reports that a Nakhuda from Hormuz has
erected a hut, 40 feet by 20, within our area.
Early this year the consul, Bunder Abbas, reported that the Persian Post Office
had commenced erecting a building for their postmaster within our area without
obtaining our permission. Pie had informed the postmaster that my sanction was
essential for the work. As soon as I heard that this post office had been commenced 1
approached the local Director of Posts and explained to him the procedure which
had been followed on the erection of a custom-house within our area (vide this office
telegram No. 14 to Foreign Office, No. 41 to Legation, dated the 5th March, 1906).
[268 k—-10]
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.' [574r] (1152/1306), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1094, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100077104056.0x000099> [accessed 14 July 2026]
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- 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
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