File 3208/1908 Pt 1 ‘Persian Gulf: Dayir pirates (coast of Persia)’ [‎167r] (273/330)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET.
External.
To
The Right Hon’ble JOHN MORLEY, O.M.,
His Majesty's Secretary of State for India.
Simla, the 12th September 1907.
Sir,
We have the honour to forward herewith a copy of correspondence with
the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on the subject of two acts of serious
and brutal piracy committed by Arabs residing at Dayir, a place on the coast of
Persia about 100 miles south of Bushire.
2 . In November 1906 ,* the pirates attacked a native boat belonging to
^ ^ the Persian port of Shivoh between Keis
Ft e enc osure o. . island and Taona. They killed all the
crew except one boy who escaped after being left for dead, and seized the cargo
which was valued at Rs. 6 , 000 . In
* * * January 1907 ,t the pirates captured a
Koweit boom, sailing from Basrah to Koweit. After murdering the crew and
passengers who numbered 29 , they carried off the cargo and abandoned the
boom which was subsequently found stranded on the island of Amair.
3 . The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. made representations on the subject of the first
piracy to the Derya Begi, but as they produced no result he telegraphed to the
Minister at Tehran and informed him of what had happened. At the same
time, he requested the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to proceed to
Dayir, and make enquiries. The local authorities at Dayir, when questioned
by'Captain Bowman, denied all knowledge of the piracy, but from information
subsequently received it appears that, on the very day when the “ Sphinx ”
called at Dayir, the Chief of the pirates was in Dayir and was staying with the
Khan of that place. On the 16 th of June 1907 , His Majesty’s Minister
informed} the Resident that he could hold
% Vide enclosure No. 4. 0u t no hopes that useful action would be
taken by the Persian Government in the matter at present.
4 . It is true that in the first case the victims were Persian subjects and
that it might be supposed that the Persian Government would themselves take
steps to secure redress for their own subjects from the pirates residing within
§ Vide correspondence ending with your Secret their jurisdiction. The British Govern*
despatch No. 2 , dated the 1 st February iyo7. ment have, however, acknowledged§ a
general obligation for the preservation of the maritime peace of the Gulf, and
it is their object to secure the suppression of piracy in Gulf waters. It would,
therefore, in our opinion, be our duty, even if British interests or the interests
of British-protected persons were not primarily concerned, to take all possible
action with a view to scattering the Dayir gang. And in the case of the second
offence we consider that we are under a special obligation in this instance,
because some subjects of the Sheikh of Koweit to whom we are bound, under
II vide our Secret despatch No. 35 (External), the Agreement|| of 23rd January lb99, to
dated the 23rd February 1899. extend OUF good offices, have been robbed
and murdered by the pirates.