File E/8 I Ibn Sa‘ud [‎81r] (174/606)

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have direct communication with him and his local officers for the settlement of
various commercial, pearling and other disputes, which constantly arise, not to
mention the apprehension of fugitive offenders and absconding divers. The
British Government, therefore, would in all probability have to take up the
question of the prejudice to their rights and interests which the existence of any
clause excluding their representatives and. subjects would entail.
7. In the discussion which followed Bin Saud said he would be glad to co-ope
rate with the British Government in the suppression of piracy and the illicit arms
traffic, and in the maintenance of the Maritime Truce, and would also agree not
to interfere in the politics of Katar and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , and to admit British sub
jects and representatives in his territory, provided that the British Government
would give him the assurance mentioned above. In fact, he went further than
this, and said he would be willing to consult the British Government in all impor'-
tant matters if he received these assurances. We again repeated to him that
it was quite impossible to give him any such assurance,
8. In the course of his remarks Bin Saud pointed out that, though he claimed |
the Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and Katar as part of his ancestral dominions and could make his g |
power felt there, he was quite willing to meet the wishes of Government in regard to | I
them. He hinted that the only reason which restrained him from overrunning I |
Katar, and possibly Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , after he had occupied Hasa and Katif was hisf |
desire not to alienate the sympathy of the British Government.
9. Bin Saud pressed the urgency of making a definite reply to the Turkish pro
posals at an early date, and said'that correspondence had already been going on
since Ramzan last (August 1913), but that he had delayed doing so in the hope that
the proposed meeting with the Resident might result in some understanding.
10. It was then suggested to him that, as we were not in a position to state the
attitude of His Majesty's Government in regard to the proposals made to him by the
Turkish Government, it might be still possible for him to delay a definite answer until
"His Majesty's Government have had an opportunity of considering the report of
our meeting. Bin Saud pointed out that the mere fact of the meeting would draw
upon him a certain amount of opprobium from the Turks and thereby prejudice the
progress of the negotiations already instituted by them. We explained that this
meeting was necessary in order to find a basis for a working arrangement to settle
local disputes and questions arising between his officers on the coast and local
British officials. In fact, we ir formed him, the necessity of such a meeting is recogr
nised and so far back as the middle of September (Shawal) last His Majesty's Gov
ernment had informed the Turkish Government (through Hakki Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ) that as he
(Bin Saud) had reached the shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , the British Government
would be unable to ignore him indefinitely, and for the protection of their own inter
ests would be compelled to find a modusvivendi with him, while at the same time
maintaining a strictly neutral attitude and dfesMng a speedy reconciliation between
him and the Turks. ( |i
11. Second day. —Bin Saud reverted to the concluding portion of the previous
day's discussion, and we further explained that the primary object of our visit was
to ascertain bis views with the object of enabling the British Government to find a
moivs vivendi with him on the lines already suggested. It was further pointed out
to him that the commercial and pearling relations between Bahrain and the coast
of the Hasa province were very intimate, and that British subjects who had pre
viously been in Katif had several times pressed the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain, to
allow them to return, but that he had refused to agree, pending the regularisation of
Bin Saud's position or a clearer idea of his probable attitude towards them. Bin
Saud then said that he had no objection to British subjects coming to Katif provid
ed that their claims against local people received adequate investigation before
settlement, and that, subject to this proviso, he would afford them every protection.
He appeared to be under the impression that British officials might perhaps uphold
and press all claims of their nationals, irrespective of the correctness of such claims.
We reassured him on this point, and he then said he would gladly admit and pro
tect British traders.
12. Bin Saud then reverted to the question of replying to the overtures of the
Turkish Government. He said that he realised that the entire exclusion of foreign
enterprise and commerce from the Hasa coast was impossible at the present time,