Page 249 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

61
“On the occasion of my second interview, however, the Pasha remarked that ho must
roturn nt once to Bngdad, that the matter of the petition, therefore, had hotter be dropped,
but that I mij-ht obtain something from my own relatives in regard to Turkish rulo, and
accordingly tho Chiuf of Koweit, who was in ths Pasha's suite, gave me a letter for oue of my
relatives opening communication and offering him advantages nt Katcef.”
The sarao Arab stated that lie had been offorod a Turish flag by tho
Commodore of tho Ottoman fleet.
165. One of tho papers found on the body of the messenger murdered at
Bahrein was a letter from a son of Nasir bin Moharik, the esoaped pirate, in
whioh the former says :—
“The Turks aro mindful of Gwuttur, Bahrein, and other places in view to putting
down their enemies so that their frionds may rejoice."
186. This letter is alluded to by tho Bahrein Chief in hi9 letter to the
Pasha (paragraph 138 A).
186 A. Writing in Novembor Colonel Polly reported:—
“Tho general tone and tendency of tho Turkish proceedings for somo months past leave
little doubt, in my mind as to tho intentions or at least wishes of His Excellency Midhut Pasha
towards Bahrein."
187. Referring to tho departure of the Pasha from the Gulf, Colonel Pelly
on the 21st December telegraphed
“ Tho Government polioy and holding our ships persistently before Bahrein in my opinion
brought tho Pasha and Turkish Squadron to abandon their intended interference, and our
success is publicly felt in these regions to be a timely and necessary ohcck to Turkish preten­
sions which were before misunderstood to our prejudice."
Assarances of Turkey.
1SS. In February 1S72 tho Secretary of State forwarded papers received
from Constantinople, Server Pasha
Socrct, May 1672, Nos. 62*88.
desired M. Pisani to state that Her
Majesty’s Government might rest assured that the policy followed previously
by the Porte towards the independent tribes along the Persian Gulf had under­
gone no alteration whatever, and Ilis Excellency asserted again on the part
of the Porte that no intention was ever entortaiued, nor any design harboured,
to subdue those tribes or obtain any supremacy over them. The sole object of
the Nejd expedition ho stated to have been, and still to ho, to restore order
and tranquility there, and establish a regular and cohesive administration more
in conformity with the requirements of tho country.
Policy of Government.
189. In April 1872 the Bombay Government again wrote to say that they
attached no importance to the assurances
Proceeding*. Secret, May 1872, No. 77.
of the Turkish Government as reported in
the papers received from Constantinople, as there was no information as to what
tribes in tho Persian Gulf would he considered by them to he independent, or
what they considered to he the limits of the kingdom of Nejd. Tho Government
of Bombay thought that somo specific declaration as to what the claims .were
should he at once obtained. Tho Government of India replied that the assuran­
ces repeatedly given by the Turkish Government, to tho effect that they had no
intention of obtaining supremacy over Bahrein, Maskat, or the other indepen­
dent tribes on the coast of the Persian Gulf, were accepted as satisfactory, and
that it was not considered expedient or likely to lead to any good result to ask
for a specific declaration of tlio claims of tho Turkish Government.
190. The polioy of Her Majesty’s Government was laid down in the
following despatch, dated 9th May 1872, addressed to the British Ambassador
at Constantinople—
" 1 have received of Into, through tho Foreign Office, repeated representations from
tho Government of India respecting tho procoo-lings of tho Turkish authorities in the Persian
Gulf, more especially with reference to tho inoreaso whioh the Porto has recently made in the
numbor of vcsecla employed in tboae waters.
Her Mijc*ty's Government, however, consider that as long at Turkey is engaged in-
upholding itt legitimate authority in the Qulf, they cannot ask it to curtail the means which,
it considers necessary for doing so, but they may fairly say to the Porte that they trust and
capeot that no attempt will be made to extend that authority, which would raise questions between