Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain' [491r] (994/1062)
The record is made up of 1 file in 3 parts (519 folios). It was created in 25 May 1934-23 Sep 1948. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
35
exercised important judicial powers in the islands. The
Sheikh in l.)09-l^ formally requested His Majesty’s
guers in
-- ills
Government to exercise jurisdiction over forei
Bahrein other than the subjects of Arab potentates. An
Order m Conned conferring such jurisdiction on the Political
Agent was made in 1913. It was supplemented by a further
Order m 1922. Since 1920 jurisdiction over all foreign
subjects has rested with the British authorities within the
limits of the
Orders in Council
A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council.
.
lo-,. dhe Sheikh, on I4th May 1914, undertook not to
entertain. any overtures for an oil concession save after
consultation with 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.
and with the approval
of His Majesty’s Government.
Undertakings secured from Ibn Saud, December 1915.
133. In 1915 His Majesty’s Government, in entering
into an Agreement with Ibn Saud, then ruler of Nejd,
secured an undertaking from him “to refrain from all
aggression on, or interference with the territories of . . .
Bahrein. ...”
Persian Claim reasserted, 1922-23.
134. In 1922 His Majesty’s Consul at Bunder Abbas
reported that the Persian passport officials at Lingah had
ruled that Bahreinis were Persian subjects and should be
given Persian passports. They seized two British certificates
of identity granted to Bahrein subjects, but on representa
tions being made by the Minister at Tehran instructions
were given by the Central Government that there was to be
no repetition of this incident. In 1922, also, the Persian
delegate at a Postal Conference held at Bushire stated that
while not for the moment pressing for the transfer to Persia
of the Bahrein post office, his action was without prejudice
to the Persian claim to Bahrein.
135. In 1923, consequent on a Press campaign and a
discussion in the Majliss on the desirability of giving
Bahrein the right to return a member to the Persian Parlia
ment, which was referred to a Commission for report, His
Majesty’s Government decided that it was desirable to
address a formal Note to the Persian Government in terms
similar to those employed in 1906 (paragraph 124 above).
Owing to the difficult internal situation in Persia this
proposal was dropped, but in September 1923 the Persian
Government was informed that the island was now a British
protectorate, and that His Majesty’s Government did not
contemplate any alteration of its status. The Persian
Minister for Foreign Affairs replied that the Government of
which he was a member had no intention of laying claim to
Bahrein on behalf of Persia. But despite this statement the
Minister for Foreign Affairs again reverted to the question
in the following month.
His Majesty’s Government remove Sheikh Isa for
Misgovermnent (1923).
136. Consequent on the gross misgovernment of Sheikh
Isa, who had been ruler of Bahrein since 1869, the Sheikh
was deprived by His Majesty’s Government of his control of
affairs in Bahrein on 26th May 1923, and was granted an
allowance, his son, Sheikh Hamad (whose right of succession
had been recognised by His Majesty’s Government in 1901)
being appointed to act for him “as his father’s fully
empowered agent.”
Oil concession granted by Sheikh, 1925.
137. In 1925 an oil concession was granted by the
-Sheikh of Bahrein to the Eastern and General Syndicate, a
British corporation, with the approval of His Majesty’s
Government.
483 '
Aitch., XI,
Xo. xvi,
239.
Aitch., XT,
Xo. ii,
2C6-8.
P.G. 13,
67, § 26.
P.G. 13.
67-8, §§ 27-
9.
P.G. 13,
63-4,
§§ H-14.
About this item
- Content
The file concerns the claim of the Government of Iran (generally referred to as the Government of Persia) to territorial sovereignty over Bahrein [Bahrain].
The papers include: the Iranian claim in the light of the Bahrain oil concession; representations by the Government of Iran to the League of Nations, and the involvement of League in the dispute; summary of diplomatic correspondence, 1927-29 (folios 506-511); India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein', dated 14 July 1934 - a historical summary of the political status of Bahrain, and Persian claims to sovereignty; the submission of the question by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. to the Law Officers of the Crown, 1934 (folios 466-472), and the report of the Law Officers of the Crown (folios 400-403), stating their opinion that Persia had no rights of sovereignty or suzerainty over Bahrain; the view of the Foreign Office (subsequently adopted) that references in public pronouncements to the independence of Bahrain needed to be qualified by the statement that the ruler was 'in special treaty relations with His Majesty's Government' (folios 378-380); the status of Tamb and Abu Musa (folio 361); the imposition of Iranian import duty on aviation oil supplied to Bahrain (folios 315-316); the views of 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 dangers of submitting the question to international arbitration (folios 308-314); similarities to the dispute between the United States of America (USA) and the Netherlands over Palmas Island [Miangas or Palmas, Indonesia] (e.g. folios 306-307); the views of the Government of Saudi Arabia (folios 268-270); the issue of passports and visas; transcripts of articles in support of the Iranian position in the Iranian and Arabic language press; the effect of the Bahrain nationality and property laws; Italian propaganda in support of the Iranian claim (folio 243); comparison with the Falkland Islands (folio 210); the refusal of the Iranian postal authorities to accept mails from Bahrain (folio 186); the involvement of the United Nations Organisation; Foreign Office 'Memorandum on Bahrein', dated 13 January 1947, substantially based on the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein' of 1934 (folios 97-126); Soviet propaganda over Bahrain (folio 57); the presence in Tehran of a person claiming to represent the Bahrain National Party (folios 50-54); and correspondence dated 1948 concerning the size and position of the Persian community in Bahrain, including a letter on the subject from Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (folios 25-37).
The file contains significant correspondence from the Foreign Office, HM Minister, Tehran (later the British Ambassador to Tehran), and 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. .
The French language content of the file consists of approximately thirty folios of diplomatic correspondence and newspaper extracts.
The file also contains copies of earlier correspondence, dated 1927-31.
The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file in 3 parts (519 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this file consists of three physical parts. The foliation sequence commences at the front cover of part one with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover of part three with 525; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-524; these numbers are printed, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain' [491r] (994/1062), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3810, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100059426987.0x0000c3> [accessed 5 April 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3810
- Title
- Coll 30/90 'Persian claim to the island of Bahrain'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:29v, 38r:50v, 53r:117v, 118v, 121v:122v, 126r:149v, 152r:166v, 169v:177v, back-i, front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 180r:197v, 199r:209v, 210v, 211v:221v, 223r:227v, 230r:231v, 233v:234v, 235v, 235r, 236r:238v, 240r:240v, 242r:245v, 247r:248v, 250r:251v, 255r:257v, 262r:272v, 274r:276v, 280r:280v, 282v:294v, 295v:345v, 348r:350v, back-i, front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 353r:374v, 378r:394v, 396r:424v, 427r:427v, 428v, 431v:433v, 440r:443v, 445r:446v, 448r:450v, 452r:454v, 457r:494r, 496r:501v, 509v:513v, 515r:518v, 520r:524v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence