Page 15 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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British protection and Turkish claims, 1892-1893

82
CHAPTER XXXII.

Agreement concluded by the Chief of Bahrein, 1892.
396. Major Talbot, Political Resident, Persian Gulf, reported in his letter
No. 167, dated 19th October 1893 :—
Secret E., July 1893, No*. 34*45’
“ It will be in the recollection of Government that in 1887, in consequence of the
intrigues of certain Persian officials on the Arab Coast, my predecessor thought it desirable
to obtain written assurances from the Trucial Chiefs that they would not enter
into any agreement with another Power, nor permit a foreign agent to reside
in their territories without the assent of the British Government, while they also declared
their adhesion to previous engagements. These documents were forwarded to Govern­
ment with my predecessor's letter No. 13, dated 13th January 1888, but no reply seems to
have been received, and as they have not been ratified they may not be technically binding
agreements.-
In any case, however, I would suggest for consideration that it might be advisable to
amplify tnese assurances by the conclusion of a fresh agreement embodying a provision
against the cession by the Chiefs of any portion of their territories to any Tower but
England. In my letter No. 152, dated 15th September 1891 I referred to the mischievous
activity of M. Chapui and his partner, and I have since hoard from the Residency Agent
at Lingah that the Chief of Um-ul-Kawain has granted them a piece of land near his own
residence. This report still awaits confirmation by the Ajjcnt at Shargah, but is not impro­
bable as M. Chapui appears to have ingratiated himself with the Sheikh.
It may be urged that M. Chapui is a mere adventurer, intriguing for his own ends,
and that his actions, if overtly directed against us, would be promptly disavowed by the
Fronch Government; but I venture to think that it would be well to guard against the
chance of his receiving any encouragement from his own Government; to which he will,
doubtless, misrepresent the extent of his influence on the Arab Coast and the advantages
to be gained by supporting him. Apart, moreover, from the question as affected by the
actions of M. Chapui and the Chief of Um-ul*Kawain, it would scorn desirable in view of
the recent .attitude of the Porte with regard to Odeid to anticipate pretexts for any sort of
interference by the Ottoman Government in the territories of the Trucial Chiefs. With
the view I submit a draft agreement, and I have included in it the substance of the one
negotiated in 1887, for even if valid as it stands it only applies to the Chiefs then in power
and docs not bind their successors.”

397, The draft agreement proposed by Major Talbot : was approved by the
Government of India with slight amenda-
No. 33.
tions (Foreign Department letter No. 133
C. C., dated 24th November 1891.)
398. Major Talbot after obtaining agreements from all the Trucial Chiefs
induced also the Chief of Bahrein to sign one on 13th March 1892 which is
printed as Appendix G.
398A. .In March 1893 the Turkish Ambassador at London requested that
he might be furnished with the text of __
Secret E., May 1893, No». 163—168. our
treaties with the Arab Chiefs of the Persian
Gulf. Lord Rosebery consulted the India Office. The Earl of Kimberly replied
that the text of the agreements of 1892 with the Trucial Chiefs on lhe Pirate
Coast might be communicated to the Porte. This does not show whether the
agreement of 1892 with the Chief of Bahrein was also communicated or not to
the Turkish Government.