Page 380 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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Records oj Bahrain
LTln3 Document ^^.j^opevty of His Britannic Majosty’s Government.]

ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
[Soptombor 7.]
/-• SEP:.r;3 ft
CONFIDENTIAL.
S motion 6.

[30975] No. 1.
Sir 6r. Loiutlier to Sir Edward Qrcy.—(Received September 7.)
(No. 539.)
Sir, t iTA-xrn n i „ . . Constantinople, September 2, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith a despatch from His Majesty's Consul at
Bussorah, reporting on the desire of certain subjects of tho Chief of Bahrein to be
registered at tho Consulate.
I have, &g.
(Signed) GERARD LOWTHER.

Inclosuro 1 in No. 1.
Acting Consul Geary to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 5*1.)
Sir. Bussorah, August 8, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to report to your Excellency that certain subjects of the Chief
ot Bahrein have asked to be registered at this Consulate. They are in possession of
passports from their Chief and also a document signed by Major Pridcaux, Political
Agent at Bahrein, recommending them to the good ofliccs of British Consular officials.
The Ottoman Government attempted to enforce military service in the Turkish army on
one of these men, and this incident was the cause of an appeal for protection at this
Consulate. As they would appear to have no shadow of a claim to British nationality, I
naturally refused their demand, but I would request instructions as to what dogreo of
oflieial or semi-official protection, if any, should be afforded to such claimants.
I havo, &c.
(Signed) ARTHUR B. GEARY.

Inclosuro 2 in No. 1.
I
Sir G. Lowther to Acting Consul Geary.
Sir, Therapia, September 2, 1908.
IIIAYE received your despatch No. 54 of the 8th ultimo respecting the protection
of Bahrcincsc. You arc in error in believing that they have no claim to British
nationality.
Since the beginning of the la6t century His Majesty’s Government havo on nine
occasions repudiated Persian claims to sovereignty over the Island of Bahrein, and on
nineteen occasions the claims of Turkey, while in 1871 the Grand Vizier gave a formal
assurance “ that the Porte entertained no intention whatever of obtaining tho supremacy
over Bahrein.”
In October 1893 a question arose regarding the forced enlistment of natives of
Bahrein into the Turkish army. A note was accordingly addressed to the Turkish
Ambassador on tho 14th April, 1894, which, after drawing his Excellency’s attention to
previous communications, distinctly stated that His Majosty’s Government did not
admit the claim of Turkey to consider Bahrein as part of the Turkish Empire, and that,
if natives of the island applied to British Consuls in Turkey for protection, the latter
i
could not refuse their good ofliccs on behalf of such persons.
A question of British protection over Bahrcincsc in Turkey arose in 1892 over the
restitution of taxes levied at Bussorah, and His Majesty’s Ambassador reminded tho
Porte that, Bahrein being under British protection, Ilis Majesty’s Government could not
admit Turkish interference with tho natives of tho island.
Tho question of British protection of Bahreineso in tho Ottoman dominions again
arose in 1893, and Ilia Majesty's GoYcrnmont maintained tho right of British Conoular
[1928 g-ro\