Page 425 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

Turkish interests and Persian claims, 1906-1909 415

1 Tina Document ia tho Property of Iljs Britannio Ifl^jeaty'a Government.]

ASIATIC TURKEY’ AND ARABIA. & [January 27.]
c: )M-:ui:ntial. - 29 MAR 1911 ■i Skotios 1.
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1
[3168] No. 1.
India OlJicc In Foreign Office.—(llcccivcd January 27.)
Sir, India OJJicc, January 26, 1911.
1 AM directed l).v the Secretary of State for India to acknowledge the receipt o£
your letter of the 16th .1 amiary regarding the .situation created by Turkish aggression
in the neighbourhood ot the Persian Gulf.
...... In reply I am to say that tho Earl of Crewe recognises that circumstances uro not
po favourable for approaching the Turkish Government as they wore whon tho
Secretary of Stato for Foreign Adairs addressed his despatch of the 17th Octobor to
Sir 0. Lowthcr, and he accepts Sir 1C. Grey’s view that the communication may bo
deferred until the Turkish Government renew their request for an increaso of tho
customs duties, assuming that such an application is likely to be made at no vory.
distant date.
As regards the last paragraph but ouo of your letter, Lord Ore wo is not aware
what are the viowa of tho naval and military authorities on the subject thoroin referred
to; but lie would veuturc to urge lutuur strongly, in viow of tho present situation, that
the question of tho action to bo taken in certain ovoutualitios, both gonorally and
locally iu the Persian Gulf, should be considorod and decided, oither in tho Committee
of Imperial Dofonce or otherwise, at the earliest possible date, iu order that the
Government of India may know what (if anything) is oxpocted of them, and that tho
diplomacy of Ilia Majesty's Government may not be liindorod whon a dccisivo
opportunity is offorod.
I am, Ac.
R. RITCHIE.

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