![‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎36] (48/160)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x0001b8/IOR_L_PS_20_C238_0049.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [‎36] (48/160)")
‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [36] (48/160)
The record is made up of 1 volume (80 folios). It was created in 1904. It was written in English. 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.
36
transmission o£ the letter J and I further think that, in putting into a Bahrein port, the mes
senger challenged the chance of a retaliation which all Arab tribes babituully practice.
" It is in my opinion to be further borne in mind that it does not appear that any
intimation had ever been made to the Chief of Bahrein of the occupation of Lahsa and Ojair
by Turkish authority.
" From all that I have heard and seen of the Bahrein Chiefj I am persuaded that, to thff
best of his knowledge and ability, he is most anxious not only to observe a strict neutrality in
reference to the Turkish Wahabee contest, but is striving by every means to avoid any -mis
understanding which might tend to enable others to fix a quarrel on him;"
138A. The letter from the Chief to Midhut
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
was as follows
" A few days ago the Turkish Commodore anchored in the harbour of Bahrein, and I
deputed my brother, Sheikh Ahmed, to proceed on board and welcome him.
" During the visit the Commodore, it appears, referred to the death of a man of the Beni
Hajjir tribe, which occurred on this island some months ago, and stated it was the intention of
Your Excellency to visit Bahrein in view to enquiring into this matter, as the man was a
messenger sent by the Turkish authorities at Lahsa.
" Although myself at the time extremely vexed at the circumstances which led to, and
were connected witii, the death of the Beni Hajjir tribesman, I refrained from troubling Your
Excellency, or the Exalted Government at Constantinople, on the subject.
"Aftpr the remarks of the Commodore, however, to the effect that the messenger was a
Turkish Government servant, it seems on all accounts proper that I should address Your Ex
cellency.
" The facts of the case there were as follows
<f 1st. —About two years ago Nassir-bin-Mobarek, with a following of the Beni Hajjir
tribe and others, embarked from the Katif and Ojair coast, landed at Bahrein, pirated the
island, murdered my late father, Ali-bin-Khuleefa, the then Chief of Bahrein.
" 2nd. —About three months ago a man arrived from Ojair at a village on southern end
of Bahrein and was recognized by some of the Bahreinees as a tribesman of the Beni Hajjir,
related to Nassir-bin-Mobarek, and who had been concerned in the proceedings which resulted
in the murder of my late father. These Bahreinees thereupon followed the custom which
everywhere obtains among the Bedouins when at blood fued, and killed the man.
"5^.—The tribesman's corpse was subsequently searched, and some letters or other docu
ments were found on it, and were brought to me with a report of the cause and circumstances
of the man's death. Among these documents were two at least, which I beg to particularize,
viz., one which there was reason to suppose came from a Turkish subject; and, secondly, one
which intimated to its addressee that ' the news is such as you would wish, and the Exalted
Government are trying for Bahrein, Gwuttur, and other places to the detriment of the enemy
and to the rejoicing of friends. You will shortly receive news which will gladden you'.
As regards the letter from Turkish subject, I preserved it unopened, showed its envelope
to <he British officers then at Bahrein, and with their approval transmitted it unopened by the
same boat in which it arrived to its addressee.
" As regards the socond letter (namely that threatening my island with capture by the
Turkish Government), I perused it with equal astonishment and alarm.
" Such briefly being the circumstances of the case, and being now given to understand
that the Beni Hajjir tribesman was a messenger of the Turkish authorities at Lhasa, I beo- to
express my sincere regret that a servant of the Exalted Government should have been killed
within my territory, and also to add an expression of my regret.
" JM.-That no intimation should have been made to me by the Turkish authorities at
Lhasa of that district having pissed under the direct rule of the Sublime Porte.
"2^—That when selecting a messenger who might have to visit Bahrein, the authori
ties at Lhasa should have selected a man of a tribe known to be at blood feud with the Bah-
reinees, and a family connection of Nassir-bin-Mobarek. notorious for having caused the un
timely death of the late Chief of Bahrein.
That the messenger should have carried no credential or passport whereby he-
might have been recognized as a servant of Your Excellency's Government.
" That a messenger now declared to have been despatched by the Commander-in-
Chief of the Turkish forces at Lhasa, distant only two or three days' march from the island of
Bahrein, should have been found to be the bearer of a letter addressed to Gwuttur, intimatino-
the desire of the Government of the Sublime Porte to capture my territorv.
" I beg the favour of Your Excellency's causing, at Your Excellency's convenience, the
above explanation and remarks to be communicated to the Government of His Imperial Majes
ty the Sultan."
About this item
- Content
Part 1 of a Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. gazetteer of historical and political materials, a précis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs. The précis was prepared by Jerome Antony Saldanha, whose preface (under which his surname is erroneously spelt Saldana) is dated 25 November 1904, and published by the Government of India Foreign Deptartment, Simla, India.
The preface is an historical outline of the struggle for political dominance in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , including Portuguese, British, Wahabi [ Wahhābī A follower of the Islamic reform movement known as Wahhabism; also used to refer to the people and territories ruled by the Al-Saud family. ] and Turkish expansion. The chapters (titles shown in italics) deal with the subject in an roughly chronological fashion:
1. Early history of Hasa and Katif , including: references to the area in Arabic writing; the first known Arab colonists; and early references to the area in British (East India Company) records;
2. Conquest of Hasa by the Wahabis and Turkish expeditions into Nejd [Najd] and Hasa, and their results 1800-1865 , including: conquest of the area by the Wahabis; Turkish expeditions to the area, 1811-19 and 1836-40; Amir Feysal’s [Fayṣal ibn Turki Āl Sa‘ūd] nominal dependence on Turkey, 1855; troubles in Katif, 1859-62; Turkish protest against British proceedings at Damaum [Dammām], 1862; the British war against Amir Feysal, 1865-66; obsolete title of award of Arabia by an Abbasid caliph to the Ottoman Porte; Ottoman ambitions in Arabia (Holy Ottoman Empire);
3. Turkish expedition to Nejd and Hasa, 1871-72 , including: origins of the expedition; intelligence from 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. , Colonel Lewis Pelly; British policy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and effects of the Turkish expedition on that policy; Turkish assurances to Britain, communicated to Bahrain (spelt Bahrein throughout) by Pelly; Turkish promise of non-interference with the rulers of the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ; narrative of the events leading up to and including the landing of the expeditionary force in Nejd; Turkish designs on Katar [Qatar], and their hoisting of the Turkish flag at Budaa [Al-Bidda]; Turkish naval activity in the Gulf, and Britain’s naval response; murder of a suspected Turkish messenger at Bahrain; reasons for the non-interference of the British Government in operations on land; further narrative of the expedition and affairs in Nejd; evidence of Turkish designs on Bahrain; Turkish assurances; relations between Turkey and Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi]; close of the Turkish expedition;
4. Internal affairs of Hasa and Katif, 1872-1904 , including: administration and internal organisation; and a list of governors at Hasa, including events of significance occurring during their rule;
5. Survey of the Katif coast, 1873-74 , including: British intentions and permission gained from the Ottoman Porte; complaints of British survey officers landing on the Nejd coast; written permission to land to undertake surveying.
6. Increase of Turkish military and naval forces in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and Turkish policy , including: a memorandum by Captain T Doughty on the state of affairs in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ;
7. (1) Trade Relations of Hindu and other traders of Bahrain with Katif, and their disabilities , and (2) Proposal appointment of a consular officer at Katif ;
8. Piracies , including: piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878; ; revolt in Hasa and piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters, 1878-81; Turkish responsibilities and jurisdiction for the purpose of suppressing piracies in Katif waters, 1878-81; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1883; piracies in Katif and Bahrain waters in 1886; piracies in 1887-88; piracies in 1891-92; piracies in 1899-1900; piracies in 1902 and the proposal of the Chief of Bahrain to maintain an armed dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. for the pursuit of pirates, 1902-03;
9. Murder of Sheikh Selman-bin-Diaij-el-Khalifa [Shaikh Salman bin Diaj Āl Khalīfah] , a cousin of the Chief of Bahrain and his party about 40 miles south of Katif. Question of satisfaction and compensation for it ;
10. Turkish designs on Oman and the rest of the East Arabian Littoral, 1888-1899 ;
11. Summary of British declarations against Turkish encroachments in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and of the Porte’s assurances, 1871-1904 .
The cover of volume, on which the title is printed, also has a number of different pencil and pen annotations, marking former external references or numbering systems (‘P.2557/29’, ‘No.5’, ‘C238’).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (80 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged into eleven chapters, preceded by a preface. Each chapter is organised by subheadings, and its paragraphs numbered. The paragraph numbers are continuous throughout the whole volume, beginning on 1 at the start of the first chapter, and ending on 553/553A at the end of the eleventh chapter. A contents page at the front of the volume (ff.4-5) lists the chapters by their headings and subheadings, with each referring to paragraph, rather than page, numbers.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence, with page numbers located top and centre of each page.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’ [36] (48/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x000032> [accessed 13 February 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/C238
- Title
- ‘Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part 1. Historical and political materials. Precis of Turkish expansion on the Arab littoral of the Persian Gulf and Hasa [Al-Hasa] and Katif [Al-Qaṭīf] affairs.’
- Pages
- 36
- Author
- Unknown translator
- Usage terms
- The copyright status is unknown. Please contact [email protected] with any information you have regarding this item.