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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.’ [‎137] (149/160)

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. .

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137
ac crrmil. W e do not doubt that, if a lazaret were also established there, the extortions to
which native craft are now subjected, would be more freely practised, and probably extenied to
\essels 01 greater burthen, so that the inconvenience and loss inflicted by delay at Fao would
fall more heavily on British trade. It lias also been represented that delay at Fao might
involve the loss of one of the fortnightly tides needed by large steamers in crossing the bar, and
if m consequence it became necessary to tranship into lighters, the loading and unloadino-
would entail heavy expenditure.
The objections we entertain to the proposals of the Conference are no less serious in view
of the political considerations involved. The pretensions of the Porte to sovereignty over
Balirein, its claiwi to \loha,tnineTah as evidenced by the levy of dues on its imports and expoTts,
and the jealousy evinced by the Turkish Government of the position of Great Britain on the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , render it especially inexpedient that Turkish, officials should he allowed, under the
pretext of enforcing quarantine regulations, to interfere in the affairs of Arab tribes under the
influence, of Her Majesty's Government. It will be observed moreover from the letter cited in
. From Major Hayes Sadler, dated 9th October 1894, the margin that His Highness the Sultan of
m Enclosure No. y. Maskat would object to sanitary posts at Gwadur
and Maskat, and if this portion of the scheme were left unexecuted, the object with which the
measures have been proposed would be defeated. Similar considerations apply to Fao. The
position of this place at the mouth of the Shat-el-Arab would render these quarantine measures
ineffective without the assent and co-operation of Persia. It would be contrary to the pro
vision of the capitulations and of the treaty of Erzeroom for the sanitary establishment at Fao
to control the movement of British and Persian ships bound for any place on the Persian side
of the stream. Such control would amount to exercise of sovereignty over the entire Shat-
el-Arab to the detriment of Persian rights and of our traffic with Basrah. Not improbably, as
has bf-en pointed out in the course of the correspondence, the assertion of such a claim is the
real object of the Ottoman Government in its desire to establish a lazaret at Fao.
513-E. When the plague broke out in India at the close of the year
Secret i, March 1897, Nos. 87-126. 1896, the Sanitary Board at Constanti-
secret i, Apni 1897, so. 8. nople decided in February 1897, to estab
lish quarantine stations on the Arabian coast at Katif, Bahrein, Katar and
Koweit. 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 Gulf anticipated these measures by
establishing quarantine at Bahrein. As to Katif, no objection could be raised,
as it was, held to be in Turkish territory. Koweit was thought to be "doubtful,"
while Turkish pretensions to Katar had been always denied by us. Her
Majesty's Government accordingly decided that Turkish intervention, even, on
the pretext of sanitary precautions, should not be permitted either on the
Katar coast or at Bahrein or at Koweit.
513-r. Nevertheless a Turkish quarantine post was established at Koweit,
the vexatious acts of interference of which are treatad in the Koweit Precis,
[C967rD]

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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.

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English in Latin script
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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.’ [‎137] (149/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x000097> [accessed 13 February 2025]

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