Page 375 - Records of Bahrain (1) (ii)_Neat

The war with Qatar, 1867-1868
731
I FOREIGN DEPARTMENT,

Troaty violation by oortaln Arab Cblofa.

No. 138. No. HO, dated 7tb December 1867,
From—Her Britonnio Majoaty'a Political Rciident, Periioo Oulf.
To—Secretary to Governmeut, Political Departmeut, lUmbay.
A serious breach of the poacc nt sea has occurred in tho Persian Gulf
undor the guidanco of the Chiefs of Bahrein and Aboothabcc.
2. Reports of the affair liavo reached me from many quarters,. Tho
reports differ as to details, but concur ns to the broad facts of the case.
3. It appears that the Chief of tho Eahroin Islands claiming sovereignty
over tho region of Gattar, on tho neighbouring raaiuland of Arabia, plotted
an attack on tho inhabitants of that region, and secured the aid of tho Aboo-
thabee Ohief in making tho attack. Tho Bahrein Chief is stated to have sent
his brother with some five hundred armed men in boats to the Gattar shore,
while the Aboothabce Chief ombarked with a body of some fiftoen hundred
armed men in craft variously reported ns numbering from sixty to onq hundred.
Tho combined Chiefs then plundered the towns of A1 "Wahrali and A1 Biddah.
Finally, it appears that the Abootbabeo Chief iuduced some of tho inhabitants
to sond their goods on board boats under promiso of non-molestation, and that
tho property having been embarked, tho craft w.cro attacked and plundered by
tho Aboothabeo tribesmen.
4. As respects the valuo of tho properly lost, two roports havo beon
submitted : tho ono is appnrontly based on an estimate of tho goods plundered
and roundly stated nt ono lakh of krons: whilo the other report (and which
reaches mo from a morchnnt who was one of tho principal sufforers) seems to
include'both the goods plundered and property destroyed, and roundly* states
the loss at seven lakhs of krons.
5. The Shaikh of Bahrein may probably plead. that the people of
Gattar are his subjects, and that ho.had causo for attacking them.* In such
case, it was his duty, in conformity with tho terms of the maritimo truce,^ to
appeal to tho Rcsidont before breaking tho peaco at sea, and beforo inducing
a third party to implicate himself in tho aggression.
0. As regards the Chief of Aboothabeo, thero can be no plea of any.force.
He has no claim to sovereignty over Gattar, and inputting to sea with a largo
forco to attack Gattar, ho has openly and on a largo scalo broken tho truce to
which ho is a subscriber.
No. 143, dated 2lit December 1'807.
Prom—Her Britannio Mojeity’a Political Reiidcnt, Poriiao Gulf.
To—Secretary to Government, Political Departmeut, Bombay. .
In continuation of ray letter as por margin, I havo the honor of enclos­
ing copies of two lottors* received from the 1st
No. 140, daUd 7ib Dioembor 1807. Assistant Rcsidont giving further details concern­
• No*. 171 aod 178, daUd 27th No- ing tho recent breach of tho peaco at .sea, on tho
t«mb*r 1887,
• Gattar coast.
2. In connection with this trench of (he truce, I would rospoclfully solicit
M....... . ' <i,o nttantioh of the Right Uon’blo tho Qovornor
No. ^rVpTjsn! l! Council to my loiter No. H2, scut by.thls oppor-
pan(rapbi a tDd». tunity, also to ray previous lcttors now-noted.