'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎125r] (249/1386)

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HO 1144
dy/ v y i °/ 1 4
Ho 1158
dy/ 5/10/14.
Foreign Office (SiV Eyre Crowe, E.C.M,G,C.B); the Admiralty
(filmm Rear Admiral Sir E.Slade,K.C.I.E, X.C.Y.O) and Majpr
Shakespeare, recently 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 AOweit,a telegram
was sent "by the Secretary of State to India giving instruc
tions as to the policy to be followed by the Ofiicer com
manding the Expeditionary Force. He was permitted, acting
in concert with the Haval and Political Officers, to dis
embark troops either at Abadan or Mahammerah,ianub prelerably
the former, but unless absolutely obliged by circumstances
he was to take no action hostile to the Turks or likely to
cause friction with the Arabs in Arabia or Persia without
orders from the Viceroy. The Political Officers in the Gulf
and at Basra, Ibn Saud,and the Sheikhs of Muhammerah and
Koweit were to be warned confidentially of the approach of
the expedition but nothing was to leak out until it had
reached the Shatt-el-Arab.
On the 4th October the Political Depattment asked the Res-
K.vw'tif cf
ident a£ Bushire to let Ibn Saud know that Ma#or Shakes-
peare would visit him early in November on behalf of the
British Government. (fog e ( rtyT/T)
The instructions sent on the 3rd October were recapitulated
and amplified on the 5th.The object of the expedition was
defined as the occupation of Abadan^ ,the protection of its
oil tanks, covering the landing of reinforcements if these
should be necessary and as a demonstration in support of
the Arabs. For these purposes the Force, with the assis
tance of the warship then at Muhammerah,was considered ample.
The remainder of the Division would, however, be required
if war ensued and it was suggested that it might be well to
send a first reinforcement to Bassidu. The Viceroy was
informed that the management of the Expedition would devolve
on India but that instructions as to its scope would be sent
from England and he was amkalmitun invited to give a full
expression of his views.