"الخليج العربي - الولاية القضائية التركية على طول الساحل العربي (الجزء الثاني)" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٧] (٤٥/٢٢)

pirates at Zahran, and begged either for complete
protection or permission to attack his enemies on
sea. Colonel Ross considered the Chief's fears to
be well founded, and recommended that our ships of
war should be employed against the pirates. He
was desired to report his plans after consultation
with the naval officers on the spot.
Colonel Ross recommended the thorough ex
amination of the part of the coast infested by-
robber gangs, and the recovery of Bahrein vessels
in their possession. The pirates were to be prevented,
as far as possible, from getting boats, and he asked
that a British vessel of war should be stationed
temporarily at or near Bahrein. The Government
of India sanctioned these proposals on the under
standing that Colonel Ross's plans had been laid in
consultation with the naval officers, and that no
expedition would be undertaken on the mainland
beyond reach of the guns of the British vessels.
The two vessels stolen from Bahrein were ulti
mately recovered by Her Majesty's ship " Vulture,"
and early in April the Resident reported that
matters had quieted down, and that Captain
Durand and his escort might leave Bahrein.
The iDstructions above mentioned, which, read in
connection with others previously issued, authorized
naval action against pirates, whether within or be
yond Turkish territorial waters, were communicated
by Colonel Ross, on the 8th March last, to Com
mander Wodehouse, of Her Majesty's ship "Teazer."
The sequel is curious. Captain Wodehouse (19th
March)* requested the Admiral Commanding on
the East India Station to give him " instructions as
" to his wishes on the subject." Admiral Corbett
(2nd April) applied to the Admiralty "for their
" Lordships' instructions." Their Lordships (2nd
May) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs to cause them to be informed whether it
was "the desire of Her Majesty's Government that
14 the course desired by the Indian Government
" should be adopted." The Foreign Office (16th
May)t intimated to this Office that, in the absence
of further^ explanations, Lord Salisbury felt some
difficulty in expressing his concurrence in the
measures proposed. His Lordship apprehended
that, in the absence of treaty stipulations, Her
Majesty's ships could only deal with piracy "jure
gentium" i. e., piracy committed on the high seas
beyond the territorial waters of Turkey, and that
any expeditions by them on the mainland, although
within reach of the guns of Her Majesty's ships,
might be the subject of just remonstrance on the
part of the Turkish Government. Finally, the Ad
miralty^ acting, it would appear, on the views of
the Foreign Office, instructed the Commander-
in-Chief on the East India Station that, until
further instructions were received, "no hostile
" action should be taken within Turkish territory
<c or its waters, without the consent or the co-
" operation of the Turkish authorities."
As matters stand, therefore, there being, as will
* Letter from Admiralty,
2nd May 1879, No. 331.
f No. 370.
J Letter dated 22nd
May 1879, No. 392.