"ملخص عن الخليج العربي. (الجزءان I و II)" [ظ‎‎٥] (١٢٠/١٠)

CHAPTER III.
Turkish occupation of El Bida. Extent of the Katar Peninsula.
Mention was made in Chapter II of the recognition by His MaiestVs
Government of Turkish claims in Hasa and as far south as Ojair, and of the
denial ot Turkish authority on the Katar Peninsula. It is, however, well to
draw a distinction between Hasa and Katar and not to include the latter in the
former. The military oocupation of Hasa secured the recognition of Turkish
claims as far south as Ojair, but not in Katar where the footing of the Turks
is somewhat different and acquired later by different means, viz., hy the
invitation of the local Chiefs of Bida. At that place a small Turkish guard is
maintained, but the administrative authority still remains in the hands of the
local Arab Shaikhs. The Turkish Government may, therefore, with some
reason, argue that their present actual position on tnis coast does involve
constructively domination over the entire tract lying between Ojair and El
Bida. Such a claim would, of course, be affected by any British rights or obli-a-
tions on the coast referred to. Between Ojair and the' Solwa bay, which latter
according to the Persian Gulf Gazetteer, is the southernmost limit of the Hasa
Sandjaq, there are no habitations. It is desert and may, therefore, be omitted
irom consideration.
2. Boundaries of the Katar Peninsula. —The boundaries of the Katar
1 eninsula are described in tiie Persian Gulf Gazetteer as follows * " On the
east, nortli and west Katar is surrounded by the sea. The southern boundary
is somewhat indeterminate. It begins at the foot of Dohat-as-Salwa on the
western side of the promontory, and from that point runs south-eastwards to
the wells of Sakak, thence, according to one account, it strikes east north-east
to the north end ot the Naqiyan sandhills, or, according to another, east bv
south to the southern end of the same hills on the north side of the entrance to
Khor-al-Odaid " • * • " The British Government have recognised Khor-al-
Odaid as belonging to Abu Tbabi, and the boundarv consequently cannot he
placed nearer Trucial Oman, though the A1 Thani Shaikhs assert a right to
the whole coast as far as the Sabakhat JVlatti. ,,
+ ad(le(1 . tlle London Foreign Office intend to get the Turks
out ot hi Bida and negotiations in connection with the settlement of the Baghdad
Railway and questions connected with the Persian Gulf are under the consider-
« vide Appendix ii. at i 011 His Majesty's Government.
nu n x • xi x / 0ne of tlie Proposals* to be put to the
Ottoman Government is that tbcy should renounce all claim to supremacy
over any point on the littoral of the Persian Gulf south of Ojair in the district
of Katif, and the India Oftice has suggested that the door should be left open
to us to conclude agreements with the Katar people, if necessary.
wifW ^ ^ h ° W . far ' in the absence of special agreements
TW I . Shalk l 1 s ' " ls Majesty's Government's refusal to'recognise
luikish authority on the Katar coast has been supported by some practical
assertions of British authority.