Page 149 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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XXXV-—(1) Importance of Khor Abdullah as a future possible rail­
way terminus and naval station. (2) Claim of the Sheikh to the
island of Bubiyan and Subiyah, etc., 1904:.

804 Tlio abovo questions wero left to settle themselves in March 1902,
(seo Section XXVI), but have recently been again taken up and have formed
the subject of important correspondence. The following notes on the matter
in tbo Foreign Department Proceedings Section E., January 1901, Nos. 110—205,
may bo bo read in tbo first iustanco :—
On tho occasion of the visit of Ilis Excellency the Viceroy and Rear-Admiral G. Atkinson*
Willes to Khor Abdullah on November 30, 1903, the Turkbh flag was run up on the flag
Tho n*nio Turkish flap wm flyinp in tlio evening staff at the small Turkish post at Ha3 al Gcit on
when tlio «h«p* returned. Owuir to the ohosl water the cast coast of Bubiyan island. As II. Al. S.
-in
-
all round, it u impoulblo to approach tlio pinoc witl«iu Sphinx and R. Ij. M. S. Lawrence passed at an
4 ntilot, cron for vcmoU drawing 12 frot. Tlio early hour in the morning I had had Ilis Excel-
.0.0 U buuoo th. ouJ of O loot, low, ..ocly .p.1 »I lcncy the viceroy’s and nil mast head flags lowered
at 6-30 a.m., sometime before reaching this place."
[Here follows a summary of the correspondence already noted.]
Lord Lansdowno* on 20th March had protested to Anthopoulo Pasha against the advance
of Turkish parties in the vicinity of Kotvcil, as His A1 ajc.-ty’s Government felt that they had
reasons to complain of them as being departures from the status quo.
Lord Lansdowne’s memorandum of 21st March 1902* states his views and specially men
tions Bubiyan. The British claim to act in the Gulf was not based on a shadowy connection
with Sheikh, but upon their general commercial and political position there as the predominant
power in Southern Persia and in the Gulf. Fortunately in making his representation to the
Porte, Sir N. O’Conor* modified his instructions considerably and, as reported in his despatch
of 25th March, did not refer to Koweit as being within the Sultan’s dominions, and in bis
despatch of 1st April he said that he had repeated his observation to the Porte that t he occupa­
tion by tho Turks of Um Kasr and Bubiyan could not be regarded as prejudicing the Sheikh’s
rights and authority over them. So far then as official representations go, we can re-open the
question of the Turkish occupation of these places, if necessary, after inquiry.
It may, perhaps, be necessary to do this, as at the same time when these protests were
made there was some idea of Britain participating in the Baghdad Railway, and we should not
in that case have objected to a terminus for the railway on the Gulf at Kasr or even at Koweit.
Now that we are not to participate in the railway the case is altered and the question of re-
op ning the discussion about Khor Abdullah, Um Kasr and Bubiyan might perhaps be moro
iully considered.
80-11-03. L. W. Dane.
The Lawrence arrived at the anchorage below the junction of Khor Zobair with Khor Um
Kasr at 11-30 a.m. Except at the eastern end of Warba Island, where she touched slightly
by shaving the 6pit too closely, over 4 \ fathoms wero obtained throughout. On going
out at dead low water a depth of only 11 feet was obtained over the bar here for about 1 mile.
The anchorage is about 2 or 3 miles from Um Kasr fort which was occupied, but no flag
was visible on the flagstaff during tho stay of tho ship from 11-30 a.m. to 12-30 p.m. The
right shore of the Khor below the fort was good, firm land and would afford a good landing
place.' Commander Kemp in his report of 20tli February 1902 reported the Um Kasr had
a good water supply, but Acting Consul Crow, who visited the place on 29th April 1903,
found that the water was brackish. (No. 20 current)-; the edge of the right bank, some 50
feet above the water lovel, and beyond tho fort up the Khor sumo scrub jungle and grass wero
visiblo. The fort, which is above i mile from the Khor appeared to be in good repair. Cap­
tain Smyth of the Cheshire Regiment had visited the place a few days before Ilis Excellency’s
arrival. Tho garrison at the time of his visit consisted of some 30 men. After dis­
cussion with tho Admiral and Commander Kemp, who said that in their opiniou all the an­
chorages in Um Kasr and round Warba Island wero greatly preferable to Koweit and would
afford an impregnable harbour, IIi< Excellency decided that the best solution of the difficulty
■would perhaps be to assort Sheikh Mubarak’# claim to Bubiyan which is considered good by
the Consul at Basrah and could be moro easily supported owing to its being an lslaud, and to
place a post on his behalf at tho uortli end to Bubiyan island, whioh would command tho en­
trances to Khor Um Kaer as well as tho better largo harbour south of Warba Island.
30-11-03. L. W. Danb.
The above is a correct account of what has passed and of ray present impressions. Wo
made a stand both in favour of Subiyah and Bubiyan Island in 1902. We should undoubtedly
not havo admitted a Turkish post on tho southorn extremity of tho island, and if this be so, I
think that wo havo a good case for resisting it on tho East. My inclination, subject to fur­
ther enquiry, would bo to tell the Turks that they must withdraw their post at Ras-al-Geit
• Fide Appondix I.