Page 91 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

85

exclusive right may he properly maintained on
their behalf by His Majesty’s Government.
" With regard to the deep waters in which pearl
fishing has not been carried on by the tribes, we
think the case is different. There is here no
defined urea at the bottom of the sea over which
the right of fishing lias been exercised to the
exclusion of other nations, as there is some
ground for saying was tho case with regal'd to
the pearl banks. We cannot see that tho right
claimed by tho tribes to exclude other nations
from these deeper waters could be asserted with
any reasonable chance of success.
“ 2. Having regard to the importance of pro­
tecting the deeper waters and to the faot that
for the reasons above indicated it cannot be
regarded as certain that the right, even to the
pearl banks, could be established to the satisfac­
tion of any international Tribunal, we think that
it would be preferable to discourage foreign
interference by refusing supplies, &e., as sug­
gested in the papers before us. If such measures
prove inadequate it may be necessary, having
obtained the authority of the Chiefs for tliis
purpose, to compel the removal of vessels engaged
in fishing on the pearl banks. Of course,
measures of this kind must be taken with caution,
as international complications might result from
any precipitate action. It might also be practic­
able—whether it should bo done or not is a
matter of policy—to raise the question in a form
suitable for decision by The Hague Tribunal.
“ Fishing within the territorial waters may, of
course, be prevented.
“ Generally. We desire to add that, haviug
regard to the importance of the question to the
tribes, and the fact that we cannot be certain of
establishing tho right claimed, it is probably
desirable that the fishing by foreigners should,
if possible, be indirectly stopped without raising
the question internationally.
“ We have, &c.,
(Signed) “ It. B. Finlay.
“ Edward Carson.”

III.
“ On receipt of your Excellency’s letter of the
10th March, 1004, on the question of the pearl