'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎170r] (343/1386)

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likely to kaTe upon the attitude of Uahomodans in India f which
is at present very satisfactory in every way, particularly in
vie'A of our weakened military position in India, and on the
Frontier, after the despatch to the theatre of war of hulk of
the Army in India, with all our modern .\rtillery,etc.
It is quite oleer nothing: can really secure safety of oil
works except the occupation of Ah^dan, hut we cog no reason
to anticipate an attack upon them and we doubt their value
being 90 *reat as to outweigh eonse'irences of an apparent at
tack by up on Turkey.
Again, the occupation of \badan by a large militaiy force
would alwopt certainly evoke a protect by ereia, aad in the
event of hostilities with ^rkey would oonetitute a violation
of neutrality of Persia and would affbrd a pretext to Turkey
for the extension of he frontier at the expense of lersia.
If on the other hand ovject in view is merely to demonstrate
at the head of the Gulf, other alternatives present themeftlves
To land troops at Bassidu would he known immediately all
over the Gulf and would create an immense impression. To this
there could be no possible political objection, but from a mil
itary point of view, the difficulties cf water supply on the
island are almost insuperable.
After Bassidu,Bahrein is politically the nearest approach
to British territory in the ^If, and there eeem to be no se
rious objections to this alternative, "he S'teikh is eld and not
likely to be obstructive, if the situation were explained to
him. There is also an advantage in favour of Bahrein in the
fact of our having a force there would strengthen our hando/t
and assist our overtures to Bin Baud and the Sheikh ICatr.
From a military point of view only objection to Bahrein is dif
ficulty of embarking and disembarking troops , owing to shal
lowness of the water, but this oould be mitigated by plentiful
supply of boats. I propose to send Pir P.Cox as political offi
cer with any expedition to the Gulf, since his knowledge of
the Chiefs and of Gulf politios is unique.