"دليل الخليج، الجزء الأول، مواد تاريخية وسياسية، ملخص عن التوسع التركي في الساحل العربي من الخليج الفارسي وشؤون الأحساء والقطيف" [‎٣‎٥] (١٦٤/٥٢)

35
■wliich would be in direct breach of their promises. Telegraph to me immediately precifie in
structions what course is to be taken if Turks proceed to use force at Bahrein, This is very
important.""
134A. On the following day tlie Bombay Government was directed
" Instruct Pelly to go to Bahrein with as many of the gun-boats as he can eollectj
ascertain at once whether any menace or threat has been held out to Chief by Midhut Pasha
or any of Turkish officers. Let him avoid discussing the murder of the m^sspnger, which
he must insist On being settled diplomatically. If Pasha proposes to interfere in Bahrein,
let Pelly warn him that Bahrein is an independent Stata, having peculiar treaty relations
with us, that the Ottaman Government have explicitly denied all intention to acquire suppi e-
macy over Bahreim and state the facts in regard to the messenger, but avoid discussion about
him, and formally require Pasha before entering an active operations to refer Pelly^s protest
to Constantinople for precise orders. Order Nimble, Magpie, and Bull-finch to Bahrein. Lynx
is there. Let Pelly report immediately what force Turks have at Bahreiu/'
135. The Secretary of State replied on the 20th November :—
Turkish proceedings in Gulf. Telegrams of 9th and 10th received. Foreign Office
have communicated with Turkish Government. Answer from Elliot is as follows November
14th. I have reminded the Porte of the assurance given by Ali Pasha that no intention was
entertained of obtaining supremacy over Bahrein, or of subduing the independent tribes of
Southern Arabia. Server Pasha has repeated these assurances, but says that Chief of Bahrein,
having caused a messenger of the Turkish General to be waylaid and murdered on the main
land, reparation will have to be 'Obtained from him. Telegram ends. British Government
consider the Porte entitled to some reparation for murder of messenger. Better that this
should be obtained by our means than by Turkish force. If necessary, send Pelly to settle
matters on the spot/'
He was informed in reply on the 23rd:—
** هذه التواريخ تقريبية Ottoman Porte appear in error, messeng-er not murdered on mainland, but on island of
Bahrein, and said not to have borne any credentials by which he could be distinguished as
messensrer of Turkish General/'
136. The Secretary of State on the 27th November directed that Colonel
Pelly should be sent to Bahrein to ascertain whether any and what reparation
was due to the Turkish authorities. Colonel Pelly, who was already at Bahrein,
was informed on the 30th Novemoer of the orders of the Secretary of State, and
he was desired to have drawn up and signed by the Bahrein Chief a lull state
ment of the fact regarding the murder of the messengef; he was also
ordered:—
f< Inform Turkish officers that the murder case is one that can only be satisfactorily settled
by diplomacy and, if necessary, by arbitration, and cannot effect in any way the political
status of Bahrein. Order of November 8th to be adhered to."
137. The Turkish Commodore with a corvette and gun-boat arrived at
Bahrein on the 22nd November, and it appeared to have been the intention of
the Pasha at that time to go himself to Bahrein and raise the question of the
murder. The Government instructions of the 30th were anticipated by Colonel
Pelly, who on the 29th November signalled:—
" Turkish Commodore having opened question of messenger with Bahrein Chief. Chief
has addressed letter to Midhut Pasha for submission to Porte, giving true version of messeng
er's death. Expressing sincere regret at the accident which happened ; equal regret at conduct
of the Turkish Lahsa authorities in having omitted to intimate to him transference of Lahsa
rule to Turks, and in having selected as their messenger an unaccredited person at blood i eud
with Bahrein, and personally connected with Nassir-bin-Mobarek, who had notoriously been
lactively concerned in murder of late Chief of Bahrein. Chief further regrets that this official
messenger should have been permitted to carry a letter, intimating to Gwuttur to capture
Bahrein. No further news of Pasha's movements inland."
Government requested Colonel Pelly to submit a copy of the Bahrein
Chief's letter, and the Secretary of State was infoi'med of what had been done.
138. Colonel Pelly's letters marginally noted contained a more detailed
No, 1258.372, dated 23r (i November 1871. account of the murder of the messenger,
No 1277-375, dated 26th November i87i. "but added nothing of importance to
the information on which action was taken by Government. Colonel Pelly
wrote:—
I think it is gravely to be regretted that a Turkish authority writing from the Wahabi
territory should have selected a person of Nassir-bin-Mobarek's antecedents to arrange for th©