'File A/4 Persian pretentions to Bahrain'

Content

The volume contains correspondence and other papers related to Persia’s claims of sovereignty over Bahrain. The first part of the volume (up to folio 44) contains confidential correspondence between the years 1906 and 1907, in which Persia’s claim over Bahrain is discussed between high-ranking British Government officials. Much of this correspondence discusses Persia’s insistence of its claim on Bahrain, which is rooted in the 1822 agreement between the Fars authorities and the then British 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. Captain William Bruce, which subsequent British officials insisted was “not formally ratified by the proper authorities” (folio 21).

The next part of the volume (folio 45 onwards) contains correspondence from 1910 to 1913 and involves British officials’ investigations into allegations that the Persian authorities were charging Persians reduced passport rates to travel from Persia to Bahrain. These reduced rates were of a level usually reserved for persons travelling from one Persian port to another, and the levelling of the same fee on Persian travellers headed for Bahrain, was seen by British officials as a manifestation of Persian claims of sovereignty over Bahrain. British officials particularly objected to the actions of one Bahraini resident, Haji Abdul Nabi, who signed passports of Persian travellers, “thereby arrogating to himself the functions of a consular or passport official” (folios 108-09). Most of the correspondence in this part of the volume is between 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Cox), and 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. (Captain Francis Prideaux until 1909, Charles MacKenzie 1909 to 1910).

Extent and format

1 volume (109 folios)

Arrangement

The contents of the file have been arranged in approximate chronological order, running from the earliest items at the front of the file to the latest at the end.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using circled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . Foliation anomalies: 1a-1f, 55a, 111a. The following folios are fold-outs: 49, 66, 67, 93.

Written in

English, Arabic and Persian in Latin and Arabic script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/2/2

Former external reference(s)

Confidential Files: Political A/4

History of this record

Date(s)

9 Feb 1906-20 Dec 1913 (CE, Gregorian)

Related material

People & organisations

King of BahrainBahrain Political Agency

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'File A/4 Persian pretentions to Bahrain', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9362> [accessed 3 March 2025]

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