Turkish Expedition to Nejd [‎495r] (83/94)

Enclosure ITo. 39-
No. 4282, dated Bombay Castle, the 9th September 1871.
rpn—^ ^ eddeubuon, Esq., Acting Secy, to tbe Govt, of Bombay, Political D,ept.
he Secretar J to the Government of India, Foreign Dept.
Referring to the despatches from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire.
forwarded under cover of my letter No. 3785 of the i6?h ultimo, and in com
tinuation of my letter dated the 22nd July last, No. 3327, on ihe subject of
the lurkish operations in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , I am directed to submit the follow
ing observations.
• ^ v ^ nce _j n His Excellency Midhut Pasha’s pretensions, as shown
in the letter to the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Baghdad, dated 18th July, No. 85
deserves notice, and justifies the apprehensions which the Right Hon’ble the
Governor in Council has from the first expressed. In this letter Midhut Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
now not only openly states that Bahrein is a dependency of Nejd, hut that
the assertion of the sovereignty of the Porte is suspended only till the questions
concerning the island between the Turkish and English Governments have
been settled. In a similar manner he would limit this abstention on the part
of the Turkish authorities to Bahrein only, and justifies Turkish interference
at Gwuttui* and, as would necessarily follow if this be allowed, to other parts of
the Arab Coast.
3. His Excellency in Council desires again to record his conviction that
these pretensions on the part of the Porte should be met by a clear and direct
statement that we recognize no such right on the part of Turkey, as His Excel
lency in Council is certain that the admission of them would be fatal to the
policy we have hitherto so successfully pursued in the Gulf, and would lead to
disturbances and complications that would be fatal to our trade in those regions
which is being daily developed into so much importance.