Page 6 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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Part I.—GENERAL SUMMARY.
SOME five years ago a Minister of the Crown
declared in Parliament that the ascendency of
Great Britain in I ho Persian Gulf”—which ho
pronounced to he tho foundation of British policy
—“ was not merely a question of theory, it was a
statement of fact.”
Exception has not infrequently been taken to
the position of Great Britain in the Persian Gulf
upon the ground that, without a shadow of right,
sho has constituted herself tho general arbiter
and guardian of that part of tho world.
As such a description of our status—which
appears to represent a view widely prevalent
abroad—may not improbably be adopted by
foreign Powers when increasing interest leads
them to assume a definite attitude on Ihis ques­
tion, it appears dcsirablo to collect, in a form
convenient for reference, the salient facts of our
historic association with the Gulf, and to sum­
marize the views expressed by tho Government
of India and by successive Governments at home,
—views which arc remarkable for unanimity, and
which liavo now well-nigh acquired the sanction
of an axiom in the direction of British policy.
It is with this purpose that tho present
Memorandum, which is merely a compilation
of leading and largely verbatim extracts from
authoritative* sources, has been drawn up.
The de jure position in tho Persian Gulf is Oovcriiiuwit «f
that of a sea open to the flag of all nations, the despatch ur
northern shores and territorial waters of which
are included in the dominions of Persia, while its
western and southern coasts are partially owned
and partially claimed by Turkey, or are in the
occupation of Arab tribes, who have entered into
Treaty relationships of varying character, con­
stituting a sort of veiled Protectorate, with Great
Britain. The islands in the Gulf arc owned
either by Persia or by Arab Chiefs (in the ease
of Bahreiu under British protection); but upou
one of the Persian islands, viz., Kislim, Great
Britain possesses a piece of land by virtue of an
original grant from tho Imam of Muscat, to
whom the island once belonged. Outside the
• Two world?, which would luivo been invaluable for
reference, have not been available in tho preparation of thia
Memorandum, viz.: •* Tho Official Gazetteer of the Persian
Gulf," by Mr. Lorimer, and a “ Trade Repoit on Mcsoitotamia,*'
by Mr. Lloyd.