'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Bahrein [Bahrain] Affairs, 1854-1904' [‎34] (53/204)

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•CHAPTER XII.
Protest of Porte against certain alleged acts of British sovereignty
in Bahrein, 1872-73.
119. In July 1872 the Turkish Government, through their Ambassador in
Proceedings, Secret, September 187a, Nos. 248- London, made a friendly representation re-
3 5 0 - garding certain acts of sovereignty on the
part of the British Government in Bahrein, of which they had received information
through the Commander of the Nejd Expeditionary Force. The acts specified
were (i) the stationing of 20 English soldiers on the island ; and (2) " the mark
ing out of the limits of the Porte," whatever this latter complaint meant. The
Ambassador had been instructed to remonstrate " against any encroachment on
land which belongs to the Sultan."
120. The Foreign Office asked the opinion of 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. as to the
reply to be returned to the Turkish Ambassador, and 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. , while
declining to admit the claims of Turkey to sovereignty over Bahrein, requested
the Government of India to furnish an explanation regarding the proceedings in
question.
121. The Turkish Ambassador, in the course of his representations to the
Foreign Office, alluded to a former remonstrance, addressed by him two years
ago to Lord Cjarendon, and to which, he said, no reply was received. Apparently
the remonstrance alluded to is that treated of in the correspondence contained in
our S. H. Proceedings for 1870, Nos. 50-51 and 58-59. In repW to that re
monstrance, however, the Porte was distinctly informed that the British Govern
ment could not recognize the Turkish claim to the sovereignty of Bahrein.
122. The Bombay Government was addressed and it forwarded a letter from
Proceedings Secret, March |873> Nos. 122-124, Colonel RoSS, Acting 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.
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , stating that the acts of
sovereignty aUeged by the Turkish Government to have been committed by
British authorities on the Island of Bahrein were wholly fictitious. Colonel Ross
was of opinion that the alarm expressed by the Turkish Government was most
likely occasioned by the survey of the Bahrein reefs and anchorage by the
Schooner Constance; and he thought that the report of the stationing of twenty
English soldiers on the island may have arisen from the circumstance of a party
of lascars A term used by the British officials to describe non-European sailors employed on East India Company ships. having been landed for the purpose of measuring base lines on shore
in connection with the marine survey. The officers w T ho had l^een entrusted
with the charge of British interests at Bahrein have, Colonel Ross remarked,
invariably carefully respected the position of the ruler of that island as an
independent Chief, and are well aware that any other course would be opposed
to the orders of Government.
123. In forwarding Colonel Ross's report to the Secretary of State
(Despatch No. 29, dated 4th March 1873) the Government of India stated that it
would be perceived from it that there was no ground whatever for the statement
that the British Government had attempted to exercise acts of sovereignty over
Bahrein.
A note was accordingly addressed by Lord Granville on 30th April 1873,
to the Turkish Ambassador.