"دليل الخليج، الجزء الأول، مواد تاريخية وسياسية، ملخص عن التوسع التركي في الساحل العربي من الخليج الفارسي وشؤون الأحساء والقطيف" [‎٦‎٧] (١٦٤/٨٤)

67
I
256 The Foreign Secretary Mr. Aitchisons' note on the se reports discloses
the views of the Government of India on ihe luuhlems and is quoted
below:—
w t rlo not sutmose the Secretary of State expects any expression of the views ot the « oy-
^"^dy^writteti^uUy^wid^ep^edly^t^s^te t*the 1 Secretary"of StateJheir objections to the
Ser e s° aad tell the sknetary of State that it Tveuld be well to send an early answer.
There is any great deal that is both suggestive and true in Commander
n i 4. fi^of ciyi/>p w« threw the Turks over in tue Black, fcea attairi tneyaro
It is generally understood that, si « ^ f Whatever may be their ultimate
without consulting the Russian Minister.
Now that the overland carrying trade from China has been ruined by the opeoing o£ the
cftnal llook uron it as a matter of certainty that the Russta will sooner or later have a port
in thePeSan Golf for her commerce. We shall then be brought face to face with bigger
m the rer.sian vj n . , • Neid campaio'n, and it is of the utmost importance,
hefore^hat Mreot^occurs, that our position in the Golfshould be put on a well recognized and
before that event , ; ! ifch Turke y Persia removed. If the discussions
wiihthe'se ^owe^s Tre ever to be amtcEddy^ettled a/d, what is more important, settled in our
favour^ It must be now. It will never be done if we put off till some other European Power
has established itself in the Gulf.
257 About the close of the year 1871, there were rumours that in addition
x ' to the Lebanon and Iskandena several
Secret, April 1872, Nos. 99-103. more Turkish vessels would be stationed
nu the Persian Gulf. Her Majesty's Charge at Constantinople was
directed tcfmake the necessary enquiries from Server Pasha. The answer of
Server Pasha was that he was not aware of any such intention. He however
added that
« Bussrah has always been, and still is a Turkish Naval station, that the number of
steamers actually employed on the Arabian Coast is seven, two of which are, at this moment,
rWrpr^irin a dock belonffinff to the Indian Government, which has been pleased to afford
every facility for that purpose and has acquired by this obliging conduct the gratitude of t e
Ottoman Government."
258 * Her Maiesty's Government at last directed their Ambassador at
Constantinople to make a representation to
sccret.September 1871, Nos. 20-28. ^ Porte in regard to the Turkish pro
ceedings in the Persian Gulf, in the foreign Secretary's Despatch No. 20, dated
6th June 1872, which is quoted below : —
'* I have received of late, through the Foreign Office, repeated representations from the
Government of India respecting the proceedings of the Turkish authorities in the Persian Gulf,
more especially with reference to the increase which the Porte has recently made in the
number of vessels employed in those waters.
Her Maiesty's Government, however, consider that as long as Turkey is engaged m
Us Witimate authority in the Gulf, they cannot ask it to curtail the means which
r/contiders necessary for doing so, but they may fairly say to the Porte that they trust and
^ t w n o attempt will be made to extend that authority, which would raise questions
between the Indian Government and the Porte, the maintenaoce of the existing state of things
t e r 3 and on its borders being considered a matter of great importance to the gene al
SaMuillity of those quarters; and That the presence of large Tnrkish armaments is generally
calculated to disquiet the bordering countries, and must necessarily cause the British Govern-
ment to take counteracting steps to reassure the public mmd.