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533. The question of Turksh jurisdiction on the Arabian Coast of the
Persian camo particularly under the consideration of the Government in 1879.
The question was the line of demarcation of the Turkish sphere of territorial
jurisdiction on that coast and the nature of the responsibilities which should
devolve on the two Governments. On these points in their despateli'No. 29,
dated 11th July 1878, the Government of India recommended that from
Basrah to Ojair the authority of the JPorle should be recognized as established
on land, but at sea the British Government should continue to exercise some
concurrent protectorate pursuing pirates if necessary into Turkish waters and
dealing with them wherever found, whether at sea or on shore, within certain
limits through the Kesidont in the Gulf; that south or cast of Ojair, Turkish
authority should not be recognized except at Bidaa on the Katar Peninsula;
and that the Porte should be required (a) to stipulate not to interfere, either
on the coast or in tho islands with the Trucial Chiefs between Odeid and llas-
ul-Khima; (b) to recognize the territories of the Sheikh of Bahrein as under
the protection of Great Britain; and («) in case of piracies from within its
jurisdiction, to enforce restitution of plundered property and payment of
compensation.
634. There passed upon this despatch correspondence between the India
and Foreign Offices which was forwarded
IS 80.
Foi. a., Mny isso, No. is. sir Mullet1* loiter, to the Government of India with Score-
J.UK1Scjitcmbur ifcso. tary of Stall ’a de-pitcU Nr. 4,0, dated 6th
November 18S0 Tho view to which the Secretary of State for India (Lord
Craubrook) was inclined was :—
" The limit of Ottoman jurisdiction along the coast, if it is to he defined at all, could
scarcelt/ be fixed at any point north of Ojair, which is opposite the southern extremity of the
island of Bahrein ; but it is precisely belue'n that spot and Katif that since the settlement of
the Beni Yas at Odied was broken up in 1878, the operations of the pit at < cal tribes have been
carried on with almost complete impunity”
His Lordship apprehends that the effoct of formally recognizing any particular part of
the Arab coast and tho waters adjacent as Turkish, and os, in consequence, closed against
British cruisers, so far as action against piratical craft is concerned, would be the formation of
on a sylum which would be taken advantage of by tnarauders in general, whom the local Ottoman
authorities would be unable to control without a considerable and permanent increase to the
Turkish naval force in the Gulf, which the Porte has declared itself precluded from making
by considerations of expense, and which would be open to many objections on political grounds.
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“The conclusion, therefore, to which Lord Cranbrook is led is that negotiation or discus­
sion with the Porte on the territorial question should be avoided’ but that, iu order that the
,
obligations contracted by the Government of India towards the Sheikh of Bahrein and the
parties to the maritime truce may be efficiently fulfilled, the Resideut in the Persian Gulf
should be authorized to adopt all necessary measures for the preservation of the peace of the
seat, without regard either to Turkish pretensions to sovereignty over the whole Arab coast, or
to the recognition of Ottoman supremacy by individual Chiefs, such as the Sheikh of Bidaa,
or to the presence of Turkish officials at isolated points.“
635. In continuation of his despatch No. 40, dated 6th November 1879,
referred to above, the Secretary of State
Pol. A., May 188", No. 37.
in his despatch No. 4 (Secret) of 29th
January 1880, forwarded further correspondence on tho subject between the
India and Foreign Offices. In a confidential communication regarding these
papers, Her Majesty’s Ambassador (Sir U. Layard) was instructed by the
Foreign Office, London, that wherever Turkish authority was at that time
actually and firmly established upon the coast, Her Majesty's Government
would be ready to recognize it and would be glad to see it accompanied by a
regular and civilized administration, lie w<as also directed to press upon the
Porte tho advisability of allowing British ships—while pursuing their opera­
tions against piratical vessels outside the territorial waters of the Arabian
mainland north of Odoid—to pursue and capture thorn within the three mile
limit of that part of tho coast.
. Further as regards Mnskat, Bahrein, and tho possession of the Trucial
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Chiefs.on the coast between Odeid and lias-el-Khyma inclusive, Her Majesty’s
Government, while they considered it unnecessary to seek for any formal
declaration from the Porto, renouncing all claims of sovereignty over those two
territories, wore in no way disposed to rcccdo from their repeated denial of

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