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The two leading Chiefs of the Joasmi tribe arc the Sheikhs of Ras-cl-Khvmah and
Shargah. The former has written maintaining conclusively that the Island of Tamb
belongs to the section of tribe of which he is the head. The Persians threatened to annex
Tamb at the same time that they took Sirri: but were dissuaded from doing so. The
Chief of Shargah has pointed out that the deceased Sheikh Khalifah of Lingah was his
uncle, and that his own father Sheikh Khalcd once governed Lingah as well as Shargahi
during Khalifah’s minority. This shows, I think, that the two sections of the Joasmi
trihe have always kept up an intimate connection. It is true that the Sheikhs of Lingah
had come under the rule of Persia prior to the time of Sheikh Khalifah : but the islands
continued to be the common property of the tribe and did not become Pcisian territory.
Colonel Wilson has commented on the manner in which the Persians proceeded when they
hoisted their flag on the island. They did not act as old established proprietors would
have done ; but behaved as if they were taking possession of new territory. It appears
then that it was not till 1887, When Sheikh Khadib was captured, that the Persians felt
they were really masters of Lingah, and thought they could take possession of Sirri and
Tamb at the samo time. They did not apparently realise that, although we would not
object to their proceedings on the mainland, it was different as regards the islands,
and that we would be bound to interfere where the interests of the non-Persian section of
the Joasmi tribe arc concerned I think it is quite clear that Sirri really hclongs to the
Joasmi tribe, and that the Chiefs of that portion, who live on the Arab coast, and are
under our protection, have a distinct cliim to it, and deserve our support against the
Persian Government, whose occupation is distinctly a case of usurpation. If you wish I
will write officially on the lines of this letter. It will strengthen our position If we make
Persia withdraw and lessen our prestige if we sit quiet, and allow the usurpation to go on.
213. With reference to this demi-official correspondence, it was decided by
Lord Curzon that the first move, if any, should come from Tehran.

XXIX.—Question about Sovereignty over the islands of Sirri, Tamb and Abu
Musa discussed in 1903-05.
214. In January 1903 Colonel Kemball reported of the desire of certain
merchants that the island of Abu Musa
Secret E., July 1903, Nos. 4-8.
should be substituted for Lingah as a port
of call for the steamers of the Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Company.
[At this time Debai also was attracting to itself the trade of Lingah, and
already steamers of the British Indian Steam Navigation Company and Bombay
and Persian Steam Navigation Company had begun to call there]. The Political
Resident suggested that the Chief of Shargah, whose possession the island
of Abu Musa is, should fly his flag on it as a sign of ownership. The Govern­
ment of India desired that the Chief of Shargah should be advised to hoist his
flag not only on the island of Abu Musa, but on the sister island Tamb (letter
No. 1283'E., dated 15th June 1903).
215. In April 1904, the Customs authorities of the Persian Government
Secret E., June 1904, Nos. 300*388. (See Nos. removed the Arab flag from the islands of
366.367;. Tamb and Abu Musa hoisted the Persian
flag in its place and left some Persian guards on both the islands. The Viceroy
in his telegram dated 13th April 1904, to the Secretary of State proposed that a
gunboat should be sent with a representative of the Sheikh of Shargah to haul
down the Persian flag, replace the Arab colours and remove the Persian guafds
to the Persian territory.
216. Sir A. Hardinge, who was consulted by the Foreign Office, was how-
.... ., . ever of opinion that before taking action
1 ’ °’37 ' as proposed by the Viceroy, it would be
advisable to afford the Persian Government an oppotunity of removing the flags.
His Majesty's Government concurred in this opinion, and Sir A. Hardinge
accordingly spoke to Mons. Naus about the action of the Persian Customs
Department complained of. .Mons. Naus
Secret E., February 1905, Nos. 259-295.
stated that Mons. Dam brain (Director-
General of Persian Customs in the gulf) had been instructed by him.in pursuance
of the desires expressed by Mushir-ed-Dowleh to establish the Persian authority
over the islands of Tamb, Sirri and Abu Musa, and to ascertain the exact nature
of the authority exercised by the British Government at Bassidore, Sir A.
Hardinge had little doubt that the issue of these instructions was connecte
with the Viceroy’s recent cruise in the gulf, and that the Persian authorities na