'Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol I. Historical. Part IA & IB. J G Lorimer. 1915' [‎1400] (1555/1782)

the rights o£ those under his protection ; it assists his" mediation between the Turk : sh
and Persian authorities ; it places him in the most favourable position for maintaining
the dignity of the British Government and it acquires for him local influence to an
extent which, without such a means of support, would be altogether unattainable. The
French Government has been unceasing in its endeavours for many yea<s to supersede
British influence in Asiatic Turkey, and that it has not more successfully availed itielf
of the vantage ground which it enjoys, as the declared protector of the Catholics of the
East, is owing, I think as much to our continued exhibition of strength in this quarter
and in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , as to the late success of our arms in Syria, and to the presence
of our fleet in the Mediterranean. The right of navigating the rivers of Mesopotamia
with armed steamers, it may also be observed, was obtained with some difficulty by
special firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). from the Sultan ; and so long as the right continues in active exercise,
no attempt is likely to be made at its abrogation ; but should the privilege be once
voluntarily abandoned, should we resign the navigation of the rivers into the hands of
another power, it would be necessary, in the event of a possible desire for the resumption
of our right, to make a second application to the Porte ; and I cannot doubt that in
the spirit of isolation wldch has for some time governed the Ottoman Council, and
which leads the Turkish Government to exhibit day by day more determined resistance
to measures of European intervention, such an application would be received with much
distrust, and would occasion serious embarrassment atConstantinople.
* * * * * * •
By the establishment of wood stations along the course of the river, the Commander*
is brought into regular and most friendly communication with the Arab tribes who
reside upon the banks. He is visited by several of the Chiefs on every occasion of his
ascent or descent of the river, and by a judicious distribution of trifling presents he is
enabled to maintain a connection which, if it answered no other purpose than that of
pre-occupying the ground, would still not be without its value. The rapidity also with
which by the monthly visit of the steamer to Bussorah intelligence reaches Baghdad of
the state of affairs in the Chaab country has frequently been found of the greatest use
in supplying timely and correct information to Her Majesty's Ministers at Constanti
nople and Tehran and to the Commissioner employed at Erzroom, whilst the occasional
transport of Turkish officers of rank between Baghdad and Bussorah lays the Local
Govemmtnt undei obligations to us, which materially assist my official intercourse with
the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . I attribute it, indeed, in a great measure to the presence of a steamer
at Baghdad, that, where as in all the other provinces of the Turkish Empire occasions
o ispute between the Local Government and the resident British functionary are of
most fiequent and embarrassing occurrence, I have not been called upon in a single
nstance since my appointment to this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. to claim the interference of the Ambas-
sa 01 at Constantinople in the support of our interests, or the vindication of our nation
al right.
The true point of view, at the same time, in which, I think, the maintenance of an
aime steamei on the Tigris should be regarded, is as a part, however fractional and
e, o our D ieat system of universal maritime ascendency. Our flag is at present
suj reme { y sufferance be it allowed yet it is still supreme) on the waters of Mesopotamia.
, 1 e > onc ® lowered, another flag will replace it, and we shall then be excluded from
t e navigation of the Tigris and the Euphrates, as we have been shut out of the
Danube, a nd as we are threatened with exclusion from the Nile.
* Sc. of the " Nitocris."