ملف رقم ٧٥٧ لسنة ١٩٠٩ "الخليج الفارسي: تركيا والعدوان التركي (احتلال جزيرة الزخنونية. الموقف تجاه قضايا القرصنة. المدراء في الزبارة والعُديد والوكرة) العلاقات البريطانية مع تركيا في الخليج الفارسي" [ظ‎‎١‎٤‎٤] (٤٩٥/٢٩٣)

Nazif Bey, it is true, finally accepted Sheikh Khazal’s explanations and agreed
to consider the incident closed, but lie unconditionally refused to express regret for
the death of the Sheikh’s wife and the destruction of his mother’s house, or to pay
any compensation for the losses suffered by the Sheikh in consequence of the
unjustifiable bombardment of Zain. Further, at the very moment when he was
considering the Sheikh’s explanations with which he owned himself satisfied, his
agents were occupied in subjecting the Sheikh to further petty annoyances in the
matter of the renewal, contrary to the Vali’s promise, of the lawsuit against the
servant of Mirza Hamza, the Sheikh’s agent at Bussorah, of the unjustified destruction,
for the third time since the dispute between the Sheikh and the Vali began, of the
former’s house property on the Ashar Creek and of the raid on Mirza Hamza’s house
and the seizure of his property, on the ground that he had disregarded a summons
for debt which had been issued against him. There can be little doubt that Nazif
Bey was the real instigator of these vexatious proceedings.
A further injustice to the Sheikh has now been committed by the decree recently
issued by the Sublime Porte forbidding the registration of land in the vilayet of
Bussorah in the name of the Sheikh or his representatives, a measure which appears
to be actually contrary to Ottoman law.
Your Excellency should bring these facts to the notice of the Turkish Government,
and inform them that I iis Majesty’s Government are bound, by agreement with the
Sheikh, to use their good offices on his behalf in the event of a dispute with a foreign
Power, that they have most carefully considered the circumstances of his recent
dispute with the Vali of Bussorah, and cau see no justification whatever for the harsh
and aggressive action of the latter, especially in the matter of the attack on Zain, nor
for the recent decree of the Porte regarding the registration of land in the vilayet
of Bussorah. You should add that, in view of their obligations towards the Sheikh,
they cannot allow the status quo on the Shat-el-Arab to be altered to his detriment 1 ,
and you should express the hope that a satisfactory arrangement will be arrived at
with the Sheikh, who has displayed anxiety to live on good terms with his neighbours,
and has shown, throughout recent events, great self-restraint and patience, in marked
contrast—as His Majesty’s Government observe with regret—with the attitude of the
Turkish authorities.
These occurrences, which individually have been the cause of painful surprise to
His Majesty’s Government, have produced, in their cumulative effect, an unfavourable
impression as to the present attitude of the local Ottoman authorities,—an attitude
which appears to be one of hostility and aggression.
His Majesty’s Government cannot believe that this attitude has the approval of
the Central Government, or is based upon their specific instructions. I therefore have
decided to instruct you to communicate a translation of this despatch to the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, in order that his Excellency may be fully apprised of the views of
His Majesty’s Government and of their causes of complaint : in taking this step your
Excellency should explain that His Majesty’s Government have decided to make
friendly representations, believing that the Ottoman Government will redress the
grievances referred to, for a situation of very considerable gravity would of course arise
if they proved to be the result of deliberate and unfriendly policy.
I am, &c.
E. GREY.