Page 233 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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which would bo ii\ direct broach of their promises. Telegraph to me immediately precise in­
structions what course is to bo taken if Turks proceed to use force at Babiein. This is very
important/'
13‘1A. On the following day tlio Bombay Government was directed :—
** Instruct Polly to go to Bahrein with as many of the gnu-boats as he can collect,
as cor tain nl once whether any mcnaco or threat has been held out to Chief l»y Midhut Pasha
or any of Turkish officers. Let him avoid discussing the murder of the messenger, which
he must insist on being settled diplomatically. If Pasha proposes to interfere in Bahrein,
let Polly warn him that Bahrein is an independent State, having peculiar treaty relations
with us, that the Oitaman Government liavo explicitly denied all intention, to acquire snpprc-
maoy over Bahrein* and state the faots in regard to tho messenger, but avoid diseussi n about
him, and formally require Pasha before entering an active operations to refer Pelly's protest
to Constantinople for precise orders. Order Nimble, Magpie, and Bullfinch to Bahrein. Lynx
is there. Lot Polly report immediately what force Turks have at Bahrein/'
135. The Secretary of State replied on the 20th November :—
Turkish proceedings in Gulf. Telegrams of 9th and 10th received. Foreign Office
have communicated with Turkish Government. Answer from Klliot is as follows November
14th. 1 have reminded tho Porte of the assurance given by Ali Pasha that no intcution was
entertained < f obtaining supremacy over Bahrein, or of subduing tho independent tribes of
Southern Arabia. Server Pasha has repeated these assurances, but says that Chief of Bahrein,
.having caused a messenger of tho Turkish General to he waylaid and murdered on the main­
land, reparation will have to be obtained from him. Telegram ends. British Governrrout
consider the Porte entitled to some reparation for murder of messenger. Better that this
should be obtained by our means than by Turkish force. If necessary, send Pelly to settle
matters ou the spot."
He was informed in reply on the 23rd:—
“ Ottoman Porte appear in error, messenger not murdered on mainland, but on island of
Bahrein, and said not to have borne any credentials by which he could be distinguished as
messenger of Turkish General."
136. The Secretary of State on tlio 27tli November directed that Colonel
Pelly should bo sent to Bahrein to ascertain whether any and what reparation
was due to tho Turkish authorities. Colonel Pelly, who was already at Bahrein,
was informed on the 30th Novemoer of the orders of the Secretary of State, and
ho was desired to have drawn up and signed by the Bahrein Chief a full state­
ment of the fact regarding the murder of the messenger; he was also
ordered:—
** Inform Turkish officers that the murder case is one that can only bo satisfactorily settled
by diplomacy and, if necessary, by arbitration, and cannot effect in any way the political-
status of Bahrein. Order of November 8th to bo adhered to."
187. The Turkish Commodore with a corvetto and gun-boat arrived at
Bahrein on the 22nd November, and it appeared to have been the intention of
tho Pasha at that time to go himself to Bahrein and raise tho question of the
murder. The Government instructions of tho 30th wore anticipated by Colonel
Pelly, who on the 29th November signalled:—
“ Turkish Commodore having opened question of messenger with Bahrein Chief. Chief
bos addressed letter to Midliut Pasha for submission to Porte, giving true version of messeng­
er's death. Expressing sincere regret at the accident which happened; equal regret at conduct
of the Turkish Lalisa authorities in having omitted to intimate to him transference of Luhsa
rule to Turks, and in having selected as their messenger an unaccredited person at blood loud
with Bahreiu, nnd personally connected with Nas6ir-biu-Mobaiek, who had notoriously been
actively concerned in murder of late Chief of Bahrein. Chief further regrets that this official
messengor should havo been permitted to carry a letter, intimating to Gwuttur to capture
Bahrein. No further news of Pasha’s movements inland."
Government requested Colonol Polly to submit a copy of tho Bahrein
Chief’s letter, and tho Secretary of State was informed of what had been done.
138. Colonel Polly’s lotters marginally noted contained a more dotailod
No. 1258-372. dated 23rd Nnvmher 1671. account of the murder of tho messenger,
No. 1277-375, dated 2Gtli November 1871. but added nothing of importance to
the information on which notion was taken by Government. Colonel Pelly
wrote:—
MI think it is gravely to ho regretted that a Turkish authority writing from the Wahabi
territory should liavoselected a portion of Naesir-bin-Mubarck’s antecedents to arrange for the