Page 74 - Records of Bahrain (2) (i)_Neat

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Persian reaction to Bahrain, 1869 65

Transcription oj previous document
Secret Department
Letters ForeIgn ) February 1st 1869
Office ) February 15 1869
Colonel Pelly's proceedings at Bahrein. Complaints of the Persian
Ch: d'Affalres at this Court.

Both these letters call for reply. With reference to that dated
February 1st, relative to certain operations undertaken by Col.
Pelly against the Chiefs of Bahrein and Aboothabee, the F.O. suggest
whether It would not be advisable in the event of similar
proceedings again becoming necessary, that communications should be
had with the Persian Govt. The letter of the 15: Feb. brings to
notice certain complaints made by the Persln Ch: d'Affalres at this
Court of some further proceedings of the Resident In the Gulf
against the Sheikh of Bahrein. In preferring these complaints,
Mohsin Khan remarks that If Col. Pelly had any grievances against
the Governor of Bahrein, he should have represented them to the
Persian Govt., who would have afforded redress. Either proposition
- Mohsin Khan's is that contained in F.O. ltr of the 1st Feb -
Involves the admission of a quasi-sovereignty on the part of Persia
over Bahrein:- a point which the British Govt, have never conceded,
but have never explicitly denied. In the year 1860 a long
historical Memo on the Bahrein question was drawn up by the
Secretary in the I.N. Secret Dept.; who remarked, with especial
reference to the claims repeatedly asserted by Persia to sovereignty
over that island, that our best course would appear to be to hold
the Sheikh of Bahrein strictly to his engagements, as an independent
Chief and to Ignore Pers la -al together. This from the Bombay side.
At Tehran, if it be necessary to discuss the matter at all, the
Shah's Govt, should be told that the Sheikh will be held to the
terms of his alliance with us. Copy of this Memo was sent to the
F.O.on the 3rd July 1860, and from the instructions which that Dept,
subsequently addressed to Mr Alison (F.O. to 1.0. G: July 1860) it
would appear that they approved of Sir C. Wood's views. The British
Govt, openly recognised the Independence of the Chief of Bahrein in
the year 1861, when the Resident in the Persian Gulf contracted with
Mahomed bin Khaleefa, a perpetual Treaty of peace and friendship.
This Treaty was signed on the 31: May and appointed (approved?) by
the Gov. Genl. of India in the G: Oct. 1861, and ratified by the
Govt, of Bombay on the 25 Feby. 1862 (Kltchesln's Treaties Vol . 7
Pages 264 & 6).

On the subject of Col Pelly's proceedings at Bahrein which
formed the ground of complaint of the Persian Ch: d'Affalres at this
Court a letter (No. 17 Poll. d. 12 Jany 1869) has been received
from the Govt of India. This letter forwards copy of a corres­
pondence with Mr Alison, from which it may be inferred that the
Minister at Tehran is in a position to give a satisfactory answer to
the remonstrance of the Persian Foreign Mintr. Shall a copy of this
correspondence accompany reply to the two F.O. letters? (The
Foreign Office would have the correspondence between their Minister
at Teheran and the Governor-General.)

J.W.K.