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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.’ [‎143] (155/160)

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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143
I
543. In September 1899, the Government of India objected to the establish
ment of Turkish posts at Zobarah and
Odeid on the Katar coast.
IJo. 77 of Secret E., November 1890, Nos. 76-82.
544. In June 1893, the Government of India telegraphed to the Secretary
No. 218 of Secret E., July 1893, Nos. 124-231. ^ ^ 0r
(( sjc
No. 24 of Secret E., January 1894, Nos. 14-43.
* * it is hoped that the view of the Turkish Ambassador * * * that
Katar is a Turkish Sub-Governorship and dependency of Nejd has been formally
dissented from by Her Majesty's Government * *
545. The Turkish Government were
informed privately of the British Govern
ment's dissent.
546. In his letter No. 153 of the 23rd April 1893, the British Ambassador
at Constantinople informed the London Office that—
u In the course of a conversation which I held with Said Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. yesterday, I clearly
pointed out to him that Her Majesty's Governmentj whilst admitting the aover-
eignty of the Sultan extended from Bussorah to a place called El Katif, consider
ed that the coast running south of that place was looked upon as debatable land,
and I stated that Her Majesty's Government had entered into arrange
ments with the Native Chiefs along that coast by which it was established that
disputes arising there were to be referred for settlement to the British Kesident
at Bushire * * *
547. In their despatch No. 141, Secret E of the 21st July 1893, the Gov
ernment of India wrote to the Secretary
of State for India—
No. 229 of Secret E., July 1893, Nos. 124-231.
No. 38 of Secret B., January 1894, Nog. 14-43,
" Your Lordship is already aware that the Ottoman Porte has of late distinctly asserted
its claims to sovereignty over EI Katr, and we have now only to invite attention
to the late proceedings of the local Turkish officials in forbidding Captain
Streeten of Her Majesty's Ship Brisk from holding torpedo practice in the
harbour of El Bidaa and in preventing our officers from visiting the shore.
We take this opportunity of enquiring whether the policy laid down in 18s3
of denying Turkish jurisdiction over El Katr should be continued. The
Government of India are not aware of any circumstance which would
justify a departure from it in the present state of affairs in the peninsula. We
would, therefore, recommend that the line of action hitherto adopted by Her
Majesty's Government may continue to be followed j and we have, at the same
time, the honour to state that the proceedings of the local Turkish authorities
have caused and are still causing injury to the trade of Bahrein."
548. The Secretary of State replied
(despatch No. 35 of the 8th September
1893)—
« * * * (2). As regards the recommendation of Your Excellency's Government
that the policy of refusing to recognise Turkish jurisdiction over El Katr should
be adhered to, Her Majesty's Government observe that the Turkish authorities,
although they maintain a garrison at El Bidaa, appear to have practically no
hold on the country. So long as they do not move beyond the limits of the
town, the nominal suzerainty of the Porte is recognized; but any attempt to
extend Turkish authority is resisted.
There seems therefore to be no sufficient reason for allowing the pretensions of Turkey
to interfere with our liberty of action, or to prevent Your Excellency s Govern
ment from making suoh treaties with the Chiefs of El Katr as may be con
sidered desirable.
Her Majesty's Government maintain the policy hitherto followed, and continue to
deny the claim of the Turkish Government to exercis^ sovereignty over t e
El Katr Peninsula; but they do not think it necessary to make any
communication on the subject to the Porte, unless the question is raised otncial-
ly by the Turkish Government **■*."
Secret E., May 1904, Nos. 558-669. 549. In 1894 •^ 0l T e ^?
No. 564, ditto ditto. and the Secretary of State for India con
curred in the instructions issued by the Government of India to the Resident at
Bushire.
« * » * that the Commander and Senior Naval Officer , Aden Division, may be
informed that Her Majesty's ships are not to recognise Turkish rale at M

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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.

Written in
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.’ [‎143] (155/160), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C238, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514031.0x00009d> [accessed 9 February 2025]

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