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a report of Commander Kemp to the Naval Commander-in-Chief, dated 9th June
7bid, No. 275. u1*1 ^PPears theF® were posted on the
island hired Persian soldiers in charge of the
flag staff, that the Persian flag was hoisted in his arrival there and on Fridays.
The Naval Commandcr-in-Chief in forwarding (letter dated 28th June 1904) this
report to the Government of India stated that Sirri is an important island to us as
are the islands of Tamband 7\bu Musa and suggested that similar steps be taken
with regard to it as were taken in connection with the two islands.
220. In repeating by telegram dated 15th July 1904 this view to the British
Minister at Tehran the Government of
Ibid, No. 277.
India stated :—
“ Owing to the delay which has occurred in urging Arab claims, our case is not strong,
but if the Persians advance further rights to Abu Musa and Tamb, claim to Sirri might
perhaps be revived and at any rate pledge secured that the island will never m any way
bt conveyed to any other power."
321. When Sir A. Hardinge explained to M. Naus that it would be difficult
for us to recognize Persian claims to it,
I bed, No. 292.
be said he would strike Sirri out of the
list if customs posts enumerated in the table annexed to the Reglement
Douanier. He hoped, however, that we should not press for the removal of the
few Persian coast guards, stationed on the island, which as a fishing centre was
also a smuggler's resort. Sir A. Hardinge said that he had no instructions from
His Majesty's Government on that point, but that we would prefer that a
regular customs station should not be established there while the question of
ownership was still uncertain. He thought, however, that we might recognize
Persia’s sovereignty over Sirri in return for an abandonment by Persia of all
claims to Tamb and Abu Musa and a pledge that it should never be ceded to any
Foreign Power. M. Naus said that he was preparing fair copies of the Regle­
ment for the acceptance and signature of the Russian Charge’d Affaires (Sir
A. Hardinge to the Foreign Office, London, dated 19th July 1904).
222. In his letter dated 22nd July 1904, to the Government of India, Sir A.
Hardinge expressed the opinion that if any representation were to be made to
the Persian Government as regard the Sirri island, that no previous reference
need be made to the Chief of Shargah as it would raise hopes which might be
falsified later on.
323. As regards Tamb and Abu Musa islands, the Ain-ed-’Dowlah sug­
gested to Sir A. Hardinge that pending the
Ibid, Nos. 284 and 285.
discussion and decision as to ownership
the Arab flags should not be re-hoisted on the islands. Sir A. Hardinge pointed
out that the Arabs had only replaced the flags which had been pulled down
recently by the Persians, while in the case if Sirri, the Persians bad been allowed
to continue to hoist this flag pending the decision of its ownership. There was
therefore no reason to complain against the Arabs proceedings. It was also
limted that any controversy on the subject of the Tamb and Abu Musa islands,
■might re-open the question of the ownership of Sirri, whose occupation by the
Persians had only been tacitly and never formally recognized by ourselves, (Sir
A. Hardinge to the Foreign Office, dated 19th June and 20th June 1904).
324. Our energetic action in'the case of these islands earned for us the
deep gratitude and appreciation of the
Ibid, No. 283 (enclosure).
Arab tribes on Oman, who could not have
been very much pleased by our practical acquiescence in the occupation by the
Persians of the Sirri island, an island which is inhabited by about 200. people
and occupies more important position jot
Ibid, No. 271,
purposes the Pearl Fisheries than Tamb
and Abu Musa islands. From the recent reports it appears that the Tamb
«» 1 k i 1 n a island was used till recently only for
s.crct e, July 1903, N01.4 a.d 5. grazing purposes by a few temporary
visitors from the Oman Coast (Colonel Kemball's report, dated 30th April 1903.J
225. On 20th May 1905 Sir A. Hardinge
Secret E., July 1905, Nos. lit and 117.
wired to Major Cox.