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Coll 30/111 'British Naval Stations in: Establishments at Khor Quwai and Bahrain. Evacuation of Henjam and Basidu.' [150r] (304/1154)
The record is made up of 1 volume (572 folios). It was created in 24 Oct 1934-4 May 1937. It was written in English 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.
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Department.
P A R LI E r NOTICE.
Session
Date,
Initials.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Under Secretary
n
Parliamentary Under Secre-
Question OmM
tary.
Secretary of State
For ' IPrafouJ? 1935 '
# 7. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arnold Wilson, — To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, whether British sovereignty, which has been maintained over a portion of
Basinu island, in the Persian Grulf, for over a hundred years, has now been formally
abandoned; and, if so, what, if any, steps have been taken to safeguard the British
cemetery at Basidu, wherein many British seamen of all ranks have been buried during
the past century. [Monday 8th April.]
3345
PERSIAN GULF
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
(BRITISH
INTERESTS).
WJI COK,*' ‘ Co,onel Sir ARNOLD
ILMJN asked the Secretary of State
tor Foreign Affairs whether British
sovereignty, which has been maintained
over a portion of Basidu island, in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, for over a hundred years,
Pas now been formally abandoned ; and,
i so, what, if any, steps have been taken
o safeguard the British cemetery at
nasidu wherein many British seamen of
a t-anks have been buried during the
past century ?
secre TARY of STATE for
REIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon):
o regular use of the station at Basidu
on the Persian island of Qishm, by His
1 . a l es ty s ships has been discontinued
smce 1911. The local climatic conditions
aie unhealthy and the place was not
n ish territory. His Majesty’s Govern-
rnmt recently decided that British in-
eiests in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
would best
e served by the transfer of the station
° j ahrain 011 Arab side of the Gulf;
m accordance with this decision, the
s ation at Basidu is now being evacuated,
-angements are under discussion with
o Persian Government for the proper
sa eguarding of the British cemetery at
Uasidu.
Sir A. WILSON : Is it not the fact that
or more than 100 years the British flag
ias been flown there and that repeatedly
l a ? * I ^ en ^ s have been made that it is
la ^ territory; and has that position
fro been pointed out frequently to the
i ersian Government 1
J. SIMON: I think the terms of
original answer show that the place
. as n °t been regarded as British terri
tory.
LEPLY.
COMMONS
Oral Answers
776
Sir A. WILSON: Why should news of
the abandonment of a British naval
station reach us from Delhi, instead of
by an announcement from His Majesty’s
Government to this House, especially
having regard to the very ancient con
nection which exists in this case as the
right hon. Gentleman has already ex
plained ?
Sir J. SIMON: I cannot answer that
question. I did not know that the
announcement had reached the hon. Gen
tleman from Delhi.
Sir A. WILSON: In view of the very
unsatisfactory reply of the right hon.
Gentleman and the importance of the
issue involved, I beg to give notice that
I shall raise this question at the earliest
opportunity on the Adjournment.
10 Sir A. WILSON asked the Secre
tary of State for Foreign Affairs whether
the Persian Government have now finally
abandoned their claim to sovereignty
over the islands of Bahrain .
Sir J SIMON: The Persian claim to
the islands of Bahrain, whi<* ^ r ®'
ouently been advanced m the P ast . “ s
Int so far as I am aware, been aban-
not revardT and have never regarded that
claim 7s possessing any validity whatdve_
I
i h
i
I r
i \
i
About this item
- Content
The file concerns the evacuation of the British naval stations at Henjam [Jazīreh-ye Hengām] and Basidu [Bāsaʻīdū, Qeshm], in Iran (generally referred to in the papers as Persia), and the transfer of naval facilities to a new main station at Bahrain (also spelled Bahrein) and a subsidiary station at Khor Quwai (also spelled Khor Kuwai), Musandam, in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The British Government had become aware that the legal basis for their occupation of Basidu was very weak, and that it would probably be impossible to oppose a determined effort by the Iranian Government to assert their claims to Basidu. In addition, between 1932 and 1934 there had been a change in the relative importance to the United Kingdom of the Arab and Iranian coasts of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; the Arab side was now viewed as being more important, as a result of (a) the transfer of the air route to the Arab Coast in 1932, and (b) the discovery of oil at Bahrain, and its probable existence in other parts of the Arab coast. For these reasons, it was felt desirable to move the base of British naval operations in the area (Foreign Office memorandum, folios 221-225).
The main correspondents are the Foreign Office; the Admiralty; senior British naval officers; HM Minister, Tehran (Hughe Montgomery Knatchbull Hugesson); and 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle).
The papers include: discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a naval station at Khor Quwai (folios 539-571); issues raised by Muscat's position as an independent state, and the Anglo-French Declaration of 1862 (folios 529-538); minutes of meetings at the Foreign Office and the Admiralty; the question of the reaction of the Iranian Government; discussion of the announcement of the withdrawal; negotiations with the Sultan of Muscat [Sa'īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa'īd] over Khor Quwai; the removal of stores from Henjam; the question of the protection of British cemeteries at Henjam and Basidu (e.g. Iranian assurances, folio 126); descriptions of the evacuation of Henjam and Basidu in April 1935 in intelligence reports and correspondence; and the expression of gratitude by British Government to the Ruler of Bahrain (Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah [Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah]) over the assistance given by the Government of Bahrain in construction work for the new station at Bahrain (folios 39-54).
The Arabic language content of the file consists of a single item of correspondence on folio 40.
The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (572 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- 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 574; 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 and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/111 'British Naval Stations in: Establishments at Khor Quwai and Bahrain. Evacuation of Henjam and Basidu.' [150r] (304/1154), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3840, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100080227753.0x000069> [accessed 7 June 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3840
- Title
- Coll 30/111 'British Naval Stations in: Establishments at Khor Quwai and Bahrain. Evacuation of Henjam and Basidu.'
- Pages
- 22r:22v, 150r:150v
- Author
- Privy Council Office
- Usage terms
- Public Domain