Page 28 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

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Records oj Bahrain
[This Docmaent ia the Property of Hia Britannic Maioaty'a Govornniontl

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1’EHSIA.
[Fobruary 10.]
(Ti 7
CO XFID1SNTIA L. i ** Suction 2.
9,3
i
.[7318] No. 1. '
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir P. Cox to Sir Edward Grey.—{Received February 10.)
r-6'1

Ministor with regard to our present position vis-d-vis tho Persian Government in tho
matter ol our right to protect in Persia subjects of the trucial cliiofs of Oi nan.
I liavo, &c.
P. Z. COX, Lieutenant-Colonel, British Resident in
the Persian Gulf, and His Majesty's Consul-
General for Fars, cGc.

Enclosure in No. 1.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir P. Cox to Sir W. Townlcy.
(No. 17/200.)
Sir, Bushirc, January 22, 1913.
IN my telegram dated tho 19th January 1 had the honour to mention, amongst
other desiderata, the recognition hy the Persian Government of our protective rights
over tho Trucial Coast, and our right to protect in Porsia subjects of the trucial chiefs
of Oman.
2. Our position vis-d-vis the Persian Government in this matter differs from that
in regard to tho question of the protection of Bahreinis, inasmuch as U does not
appear that specific representations have been over made on tho subject at Tehran.
3. Tho question, like many others, was first raised by tho action of ono of tho
Bolgian Customs officials in the Gulf, who formally declined in 1907 to accept British
intervention in two cases concerning subjects of tho Sheikhs of Abu Dhabi and
Shargah, quoting in justification “Tehran circular No. 1301, dated tho 4th February,
1905,” of which, however, he declined to furnish a copy.
In reply to my suggestion that wo should obtain formal recognition of our
position in this matter from tho Persian Government, Mr. Marling replied that our
right to insist on tho Persian Government accepting such intervention was unassailable
in viow of our published treaties of 1892, and that it seemed probablo that Iv.a
Majesty’s Government would insist on final recognition of our rights respecting
Bahrein and Bahreinis also, and that ho was inclined to think that theso raattors would
best bo dealt, with simultaneously.
Sir G. Barclay, however, subsequently expressed tho opinion that, although wo
could not admit any refusal on the part of tho Customs or othor authorities to
recognise our rights to intervene on behalf of these sheikhs, ho preferred not to raiso
the question for the present except in the event of our intervention being challenged
in some more specific case than those at the time undor consideration.
4. The issue lias not been actively raised by tho Persian Government since, and
at Liugah and elsewhere tho local authorities and Customs officials now accept our
intervention in matters concerning Oman subjects without demur, but, in tho abaonco
of any specific recognition of our title and the issue of instructions to local authorities
by tho Central Government, thoy are in a weak position to co-oporato with ur oven
when personally friendly and inclined to do so.
For example, I would recall tho action of tho Turkish consul at this port, who
proceeded to Lingoh in 1911, and, without informing our roprcsontativo, who is
officially in charge of Turkish interests tliore, enrolled as Turkish subjects sorno
400 Persian, Oman, and trucial Oman subjects haphazard. Had our position with
regard to tho lattor category been clearer, both wo ourselves and tho local Persian
authorities would have been on stronger ground for taking prompt action on tho spot
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