Page 240 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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Arabian Coast. ‘Writing on the 2Gth April, tbo Ambassador at Constanlmoplo
observed :—
n Midhut Pasha has the reputation of an ablo and energotic administrator, but if he is
actuated by tho dosire attributed to him by Colonel Herbert of extending the authority of the
Porte, I enn detect nothing hero to make me suppose that any such project would be encour­
aged by the Grand Vizier, although His Highness shows himself excessively sensitive to any
remark which ho considers to imply a doubt of the rights of the Sultan over Nc-jd districts.”
Tho repoated and positive assurances of tho Porte denying the existence of
any intention such as that imputed to thorn havo already been alluded to in
paragraphs 62-67, and subsequent assurances to tho same effect were not want­
ing.
165. Tho Bombay Government, however, in a letter dated 18th July 1971,
No. 1214, observed
“It docs not appear to His Excellency the Governor in Council that the assurances of the
Turkish Government aro as satisfactory as they seem to bo regarded by tho Government of
India. On tho contrary, they seem to be founded on a claim which may be productive of much
complication horeaftcr, and which His Excellency in Council regrets to se« admitted.
“ The Porte proposes that its only object is to restore the authority of its Kaimukam, the
Ruler of tfejd. His Excellency in Council fears it will be found that this covers a claim to the
allegiance of all the littoral tribes.—Tho Aiuir of Rindh has received tribute from Maskat
has never ceased to claim authority over Bahrein, the Gwuttur coast, and oIfo Abootbabeo.
If Sheikh Abdoollah is restored with the support of a Turkish force, His Excellency in Council,
does not doubt but that tho Amir’s claims will be renewed, and, if renewed and successfully
resisted, there appears nothing to prevent Turkish interference with the littoral tribes. His
Excellency in Council confesses to apprehensions of great embarrassment for the future, which
probably might have been avoidod if a more decided tone had beeu adopted and Turkish
interveution prevented.”
166. Whon tho instructions given to Colonel Polly (vide paragraph 72)
were communicated to Midhut Pasha by Colonel Herbert, that officer wrote on
the 7th June :—
“His Excclloncy notes that Colonel Pel 1 y is instructed to protect the pearl fisheries from
all-kinds of interference and aggression, which, he slates is also necessary on his part, and
has b«en assigned as a duty of the expeditionary troops ; and he notes as a cause of thank­
fulness that Colonel Felly is directed by Her Majesty’s Indian Government to exert himself
and assist in preserving ordor and tranquillity in that sea.
“ I would here remark that tho preservation of the tranquillity of the Gulf and protection
of the interests of the pearl-fisheries have not hitherto bem mutteis in which the Ottoman
Government has assumed to itself any active intervention
“His Excellency Midhut Pasha then proceeds to remark on the protection to be given by
Colonel Felly to' certain independent States and tribes'; and whilo asserting that if suoh be
not within the country of Nejd, that is, that under the jurisdiction of Abdoollah bin Feysul,
the present project bas no connexion originally or eventually wit.b them. He adds, if thcro be
within the Nejd country a tribe thus supposed to bo iudepeudent who aid Saood and oppose
the Ottoman Government, then, although the present object is only to expel him, the punish­
ment nf such tribe will naturally become the duty of the troops. He then concludes with what
inu*t be deemed a solemn protest against tho existence or possibility of existeuce of ao indepen­
dent tribe in the country of Nejd.”
This, Colonel Herbert considered, became an important protest when taken
in connexion with an article in tho local Government journal. To this article
was appended a list of the towns, houses, etc., in the Province of Nejd, and
among tho towns mentioned was Bahrein, as also three towns belonging to
trucial Chiefs on the Oman Coast :—
“This direct mention.” said Colonel Herbert, “ of Bahrein and a portion of Oman, ns
appertaining to Nejd, io a journal wbicb can only be regarded as a Government Gazette, is an
indication of the views of (at least) the local Government of this province, which, I think,
justifies uiy want of confidence in the assurances so repeatedly and explicitly given.
“If 1 mistake not, tho whole of tho country of Oman is deemed to belong to tho de facto
Government of Maskat, and it appears to me desirable that I bo instructed as to the views of
His Esccllenc.v the Viceroy in Council as regards this country, as it is not improbable that the
question may shortly be agitated hero.”
In caso of the Porte obtaining, at least for a time, a nominal supremacy
over the Province of Nejd, Colonel Herbert suggested that advantago should
he taken of the occasion to bring about a settlement of the long pending
ques’ion of tho frontier between Oman and Nejd.