Page 306 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

276 Part III.
480. In a note verbale dated 16th July 1902, addrossed undor approval of the
Foreign Office to tho Porto, aatisfaotion
Ibid (Eucloiurc 1, Tro. No. 140).
was expressed at tho steps taken by tho
Turkish Government to provont piracies on tho Shat-cl-Arab, and it was stated
that tho Commander of tho Sphinx then in tho neighbourhood would receive
instructions to co-operate with tho two Turkish vessels, whilo it was hoped that
tho Commanders of theso vessels would recoivo similar instructions from tho
Turkish Government.
490. As regards Persia tho following in­
Ibid (No. 131).
structions wero sent to Mr. des Graz by
tho Foreign Office on 16th July 1902 :—
uCommander of British gunboat at Mohammoiah reports that no cffectivo steps are
being taken either by the Turkish or Persian authorities for the suppression of piracy in the
Shat-el-Arab.
We do not wish to givo the Persian Government an excuse for interfering more than is
necessary in the district bolow Mohammorah, where the Sheikh has more effective authority
than the Shah. In theso circumstances it will be best that you should—
(1) instruct His Majesty’s Vico-Consul at Mohamrncrah to request tho Sheikh to co­
operate to tho best of his ability with the British N ival officers j
(£) call the attention of tho Persian Foreign Minister to tho State of Affairs on the
river and request that tho Sbcikh may be ordered to give tho British gunboat
every possible assistance so as not to oblige us to keep her at Mohatnmerah
longer than is necessary.
491. When tho second part of tho above message was communicated by
His Majesty’s Chargd d’Affoircs at Tehran
Secret E., November 1902, Noi. 105-141.
to Mushir-cd-Dowlah (Foreign Minister),
he was desirous to know under what treaty or agreement His Majesty’s Gov­
ernment was asking for the co-operation of the Persian Government to suppress
piracy. No answer was given to this enquiry. (Mr. C. des Graz’s despatch to
the Foreign Office, dated 14th August 1902).
492. In October 1902 the Persian Minister for Foreign Affairs made a
request that previous notice should be
Secret E., Juno 1903, Noi. 212-251 (No. 212).
given of the arrival of British vessels of
war in Persian waters. Furlhor on 17th January 1903, Mushir-ed-Dowlah
asked, with reference apparently to the recent encounter between pirates
and the sailors of the Lapwing, that British ships should not take active i
measures against piracy within the territorial waters of Persia, or land armed I
men for this purpose on Persian soil.—(Sir A. Hardingc’s dospatch No. 16,
dated 26th January 1903.)
493. In reply to this message, Sir A. Hardinge was authorised to state
Secret e.. January iso*, No*. 105-113 that the Commanders of Bis Majesty's ships,
(No«. 105 and 113, Eneiciure No. l.) whilst they would always be careful to respect
the sovereign rights of Persia and to co-operate with the local authorities, must,
in the absence of any effective naval force of Persia, retain their freedom
to take, at their discretion and on their responsibility, even within Pei'sian
territory, such measures for the repression of piracy as the urgency or
gravity of any particular case might seem to them to warrant and that
Bis Majesty's Government cannot undertake, to issue any new orders
to the Commanders of Bis Majesty's vessels, which could tend to restrict
the efficiency of their action in maintaining the maritime peace of the
Qulf, which has been secured by the past efforts of the British Navy.*—
(Lon} Lansdowne to Sir A. Hardinge, dated 4th April 3.903, and note address­
ed dated 25th April 1903.)
494. Mushir-ed-Dowlah then wrote Sir A. Hardinge on 24th October
1903 that instructions might be given
Ibid (No. 118, Encloiuro No. 2).
to British ships " that when they pursue
pirates in the Persian waters and get near tho Persian coast, the pursuit may
be left in the hands of Persian authorities in order that tho crew should not
be obliged to use arms or enter Persian territory.”
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