Page 301 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter XV. 271
453. In all these casos, except the one in which an English ship captured
the pirates who robbed some Persian fishermen (No. 7 in the statement), the
Vali of Basrah sent the police to the sccno of the robbery to mako an investi­
gation, trace the pirafos and arrest them, while tho Sheikh of Mohammerah
(sometimes under instructions from tho Shah's Government) did the same, but
tho offenders could not bo traced. The blamo was always thrown by one party
on tho tribes on tho oilier side of the river.
454. TVe shall see now what proposals in these circumstancos wore made
and adopted for the protection of tho commerce on the river.
455. In January 1S90, in a demi-official letter to tho Resident at Baghdad,
Captain ltavenshaw proposed that the
External A., April 1890, No. 199.
Comet might bo sent down to anchor
between Mohammerah and Fao for a short time, and that lie might bo allowed
to tell the Vali that " I cannot allow' the safety of Indian vessels and subjects
to be endangered in Ibis way, and as I cannot get satisfaction either from Turks
or Persians, a British vessel will remain in these waters for better protection
of Indian vessels.”
<156. Tho Political Resident, however, thought that there was no necessity
for such strong measures. (Extract from tho diary of the Political Resident for
tho week ending the 15th February 1890.)
457. In bis letter No. G9S, dated 11th December 1890, Colonel Tweedie
referring to the piracy on the ships Uarsingcr aucl Sukarpasa discussed the
whole situation and summed up his views as follows:—
“I.—It is very likely that owing to tho rcfercnco which has in this ease proceeded from
tho Government of India to the British Legation
External A., March 1891. Nox. 82-90 (So. 82).
of Tehran, the Persian Government will stir itself
for tho better protection of the Shat-el-Arab.
II. —On the question demanding compensation from the Government like the Ottoman
or Persian several points may deserve a thought. One is, the full measure of diplomatio
representation under all circumstances necessary for the enforcement of demands of such a
nature. Another is, with the mere unsupported statements, or testimony of Indian or other
owners and complainants, and of Arab, Persian, and Osir.auli witnesses or deponents, all alike
untrustworthy, and .with Persian responsibility on one side the river and Osmanli on the other,
the finest possible room for evasion here presents itself to either Government with respect to
such a claim. On the first occasion therefore of its being decided by competent authority that
a case requiring us to press for compensation has arisen whether in view' of the serious aspect
of that one case itself, or of its being but in a series of other similar outrages indicating
culpable apathy on tho part of the Governments answerable, the question might come up
whether such compensation should not be demanded from both thoso Governments equally
apart from the raising of nice issues as to where tho marauders came from.
III. —Meanwhile, if we but continuo careful from time to time on occasion arising quietly
to impress both the Ottoman and Persian Governments with the conviction that England's
interests in the safety of tho Shat-el-Arab trade route is not secondary to her interest iu tho
Gulf of which it form6 a continuation, and that if neither Government will discharge its pro­
tective functions towards the Shat in question, England will have to take the subject anew into
consideration ; it is only reasonable for us to anticipate that a task so well within the local, not
to say, reserve, power, and resources of either Government, far more of tho two Governments
conjointly, will, allowing for occasional iucidcnts, bo well performed."
45S. The Political Resident in conclusion proposed addressing the British
Ambassador at Constantinople regarding the better protection of the Shat-
el-Arab.
459. The Government of India saw no objection to the courso. (Telegram
No. 3S09, dated 24th February 1891.)
llid (No. 90.)
460. Colonel Tweedie thon addressed to the Embassy giving a narrative of
the incidents (letter to the Government
External A., July 1891, Nox. 9S10G.
of India, No. 154, dated 13th March 1891),
with what result, it cannot be found.
*161. In 1S95-96 there was a ropotition of piracies on tho Shat-el-Arab.
Among theso tho most serious was one
External E., May 189C, Nox. 217-233.
committed against a ship, called Haripasa
belonging to a subject of the Jamnagar State.