Page 17 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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British protection and Turkish claims, 1892-1893
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flag produced by another Bahrein subject has been sent me. 1 hope redress for these pro
ceedings and orders to local authorities > jfTill " Am
Secret E., May 1893, No*. 307-361. asking Sphinx Basarah, to show flag again
Bahrein."
306. This telegram was reported to the Secretary of State, on 14th January.
The Political Resident received further confirmation of the action of the Turkish
officials in compelling Bahrein subjects to accept Turkish flags from various
other sources.
No. 353- 307. On a reference made by the India Office to the Foreign Office, the
Political Resident's message of 10th January 1892, was repeated on 19th January
to Sir C. Ford, and it was added :—
u Inform the Porte that as Turkish local authorities disregard the orders, they must have
received in consequence of representation made by you at the Porte, it will be necessary
for the Government of India 10 give to the Chief of Bahrein such material support as may
be required to resist the interference of Turkish local authorities with his subjects.'1
308. The Turkish local authorities proceeded even further tp assert Ottoman
Sovereignty over Bahrein. Tho Kaim-
(4) Proclamation ol Turklih sovereignty over
Bahrein «t Katif, August to Orccmber 1893. makam of Katif published on 20th August
Secret K., May >694, Nos. 166-348.
1893 a proclamation, which he caused to
be stuck up in the bazaars and coffeeshops of the town, the translation which
runs as follows :—
No. 193. " According to orders received from the Government, Homo and Foreign, regarding
Bahrein, the British Government has no right to give cither order or protection there.
Bahrein is part of the Ottoman dominions and will be treated in the same way as the
other subjects of the Ottoman Government arc."
No. 348. 309. Representations were duly made to the Porte, and the result thereof
was reported by Sir A. Nicolson to the Foreign Office in his despatch dated 29th
December 1893 :—
An assurance was given that telegraphic instructions had been sent some days pre­
viously to the Vali of Basrah for the withdrawal of the proclamation of the Kaim-Makam of
Katif, and ordering the local authorities not to enter into disputes or discussions with
British officials in regard to Bahrein.
As to the question of the status of the Bahreinese while in Ottaman territory, the Grand
Vizier stated that the Sublime Porte intended to maintain and act upon its connection that
the Bahreinese must be treated as Ottoman subjects.
On the 26th instant Mr. Nicolson informed the Minister for Foreign Affairs under
direction of Lord Rosebury that there was no intention on the part of Her Majesty's
Government to depart from the position laid down in the note addressed to the Porte by
Her Majesty's Embassy on May 9th maintaining British right to extend protection to the
natives of Bahrein in Ottoman territory, and he represented to His Excellency that he was
instructed to state that Her Majesty's Government regarded the contention of the Sublime
Porte as to ihe status of the Bahreinese in Ottoman territory as inadmissible and would
extend their protection to them whenever occasion called for it."

310. In March 1893, Lieutenant Beville, the British Consul at Basrah
(S) Tranship of Turkish troops at Bahrein reported to Colonel Mockler that the Turks
1893- were arranging to despatch 30 soldiers
Secret E., July 1893, Nos. 97*11 a.
with ammunition to Bahrein presumably
for re embarkation to Hasa, and that he had warned the Agent of the British
Indian Steam Navigation Company against taking them to Bahrein, on the
ground that the presence of Turkish soldiers might create popular disturbance.
He asked for instructions for future guidance and suggested that the local Gov­
ernment at Basrah be informed that there would be no objection to soldiers in
transit to the Arab coast being taken to Bahrein, provided that arrangements be
made there for their immediate transhipment.
311. Colonel Mockler instructed him that he should make no reference to
the local Government, but if referred to by them, say that he had authority to