Page 49 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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refused (in 18S2) on the ground of the nature
of In's relations with the Turks.
In 1001 the Government of India expressed
forcibly their view that a Treaty should he nego­
tiated with Sheikh Ahmed, in antieipntion of the
death of Sheikh Jasim, who had then reaehed
an advanced age. An opportunity of making
such a Treaty had arisen through the disturhanee
of the .stillits ijun.hy the Turkish Government,
who had appointed ollicials to Wakra and other'
places on the const. The Government of India at
first promised that a Treaty should beeutcrcd into
with Sheikh Ahmed on the lines of the existing
Treaties with Bahrein and the Trueial Chiefs, hy
which he would he debarred from parting with
territory to others than the British Government.
Although in deference to British remonstrances
the Turkish Government had at length withdrawn
their interloping officials, the Government of
India remained of opinion that the position of
Great Britain should be consolidated by the
immediate conclusion with Sheikh Ahmed of a
Treaty similar to the former one (of 1808), if the
stricter form of Treaty with Bahrein and the
Trueial Chiefs were held to he inadmissible.
The principal reasons adduced in favour of
this course were—
1. The El Katr Coast, King as it does between
Bahrein and the Pirate Coast, constitutes a break
in the continuity of British maritime influence.
2. The absence of a Treaty docs not facilitate,
and may considerably increase, the work of llis
Majesty’s ships in suppressing piracy and main­
taining the peace of the Gulf, lu this connection
it is observed that one objection to the extension
of Turkish authority in those regions is the
inability of the Turks to establish a strong
Administration, which is eminently dcsirabl; in
a district which, owiug to its proximity to Bahrein
—the centre of the pearl fisheries—affords excep­
tional inducements to pirates and marauders.
These considerations did not, however, over­
come the disinclinations of llis Majesty’s
Sir N. O’Cuiior, Ambassador at Constantinople, who was keenly
No. A16, ulivc to Iho difficulties which such a course
Juno 28, 1904.
might provoke with the Ottoman Government,
llis Excellency laid stress upon the multiplicity
of pending questions with Turkey, such as the
energetic action being taken to secure the
removal of tho Turkish post from Bubiyan
Island, and lie was distinctly of opinion that,