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817. In reply to subsequent communications giving details of the arrange­
ments made at Bahrein, Colouel Ross was
Political A., Soptcmbor 1870, No. 200.
i* n •• i, it 209. informed that his proceedings were general­
ly approved, and ho was requested to
forward a tabular statement or memorandum showing with reference to Article
3 of the Convention with Bahrein, dated 31st May ls61, the maritime aggres­
sions of which tlie Chief complained and
Political A., September 1S79, No. 21C.
the steps in caoli case to obtain repara­
tion.
318. Despatch No. 55, dated 22nd May 1879, described the continued
piracies of the Beni Hajir under Zaid-bin-Maliomcd joined by Ajman along the
coast between Katif and Ojair and the inadequate and ineffective measures of
repression taken by the Turkish authorities. . It noticed the apprehensions of
the Chief of Bahrein, his application to the British authorities with special re­
ference to the daring raid on Azaria and the obligations of the British Govern­
ment towards the Chief.
319. At the close of the despatch in which this description of recent piracies
Proposalt for suppression of piracies. was transmitted to the Secretary of State
Political A., Sopteiubcr 1879, No. ."31.
the Government of India called attention
to a letter, dated 1th March 1879, which Colonel Nixon, the Political Agent
in Turkish Arabia, had addressed to Sir A. Layard, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
at Constantinople, on the subject of the piracies in the Persian Gulf, and
observed :—
u Colonel Nixon is not understood to be personally acquainted with the country which
he describes, and the accuracy of tbo information which he has furnished to Her Majesty’s
Ambassador at Constantinoplc i* open to question. In dealing with those outrages our
difficulty has been that they have been committed either within Turkish territorial waters
or in close proximity thereto—a point which Colonel Nixon does not seem to have fully
appreciated. That officer further consider* that ih« recent piracies in the Gulf have arisen
out of quarrels of the tribes on the mainland of Ncjd and Bahrein. Tnis view is not shared
by Colonel Ross, the Resident in the Persian Gulf, who has an intimate knowledge of
these localities, and who necessarily possesses far superior means of obtaining information
regarding them. According to Colonel Ross no inter-tribal dispu'ea were goin" on, and
the outrages were committed, for the most part, by well kuown piratical gangs whose solo
object was plunder.
“ Moreover, on the 20th January and 20th February, Mr. Robertson, the Political
Assistant and Vice-Consul at Basrah, within
Political A., Soptcmbor, No. 218.
*• ,, » n 228. which Pashalik the Turkish possessions on the
Arab coast are situate, informed Colonel Nixon
that no disturbance whatever existed in the |intcrior, but that if order was not restored
on the coast the disturbances might spread to the mainland. Nor is there auy sufficient
evidence, so far as can bo ascertained, for the statements that the Turks have conquered
years ago all the mainland in the interior from Kowoit to Zobarah and that the coast Hoe
of petty tribes has fallen insensibly undor Turkish dominion, and that really all the interests
of the Nejd coast rest iu Turkey/’
350. Meanwhile Colonel Ross forwarded a copy of a letter from the Com­
mander of H. M. S. Vulture in which
Political A., September 1879, No*. 270*282.
he gave his opinion of the measures
which should he, adopted to suppress piracy on the Turkish Arabian coast.
His opinion, although arrived at independently, coincided exactly with that
expressed by Colonel Ross in his telegram of 28th February 1879. He sug­
gested that British cruisers, acting on Colonoi Ross’ requisition, should he
permitted to.attack the pirates, if necessary, to their buses of operation on the
Nejd coast, where their boats and vessels could generally be destroyed or cap­
tured without going beyond the beach : that the channels wost and south of
Bahrein should be surveyed, and to assist iu these operations he recommended
that a steam pinnace-should bo permanently stationed near Bahrein, with the
view also of protecting the islands from the raids of the Bedouins.
351. In reply to Colonel Ross’ letter we forwarded to him a letter from His
Bxcellonoy tho Naval Comraander-in-Chief, in which ho stated his opinion that
a stoam pinnace was not required, and that tho ships detailed for duty in the