File E/8 I Ibn Sa‘ud [‎72r] (156/606)

I
No. 4005-M., dated Bushire, 2nd (received 17th) December 1913.
From-LiEtTTBNTANT-CoLONKL S ir P ercy Cos, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., 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.
m the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
ro—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
la continuation of previous correspondence on the subject, I have the
honour to report progress in connection with the proposed meetins: with Bin
Saud. 0
2. He having informed me that he would be returning coastwards after
Octobe^ 611 ^ teleg3 p lm ^ o * i? 0 !, dated 23id thef'Id-ul-Haj (10th November) I wrote
c 0 . e ? . to him on the 27th October saying that
I intended to be at Bahrain on or about the 18th November and hoped he
would make it convenient to meet me at Ojair on or about the 2 lst 3 and that I
would expect news of his movements on arrival at Bahrain.
The same day that I reached Bahrain however a messenger came in from
Bin Saud with a letter saying that my letter had found him in Qasim
at too great a distance to admit of the possibility of reaching Ojair by the
21st November, but that he was hurrying in and begged me to meet him on
the 10th Muharram at Ojair.
This it is impossible to do without missing the mail by which I have
arranged with the permission of Government to proceed on leave, but if this
meeting is to take place at all it is urgent that it should be brought off as soon
as possible, and I therefore instructed Major Trevor verbally to undertake it in
my behalf accompanied by Captain Shakespear.
I beg^to attach a copy of my letter in that connection to Bin Saud and of
the * £ sailing directions " which I have handed to Major Trevor, and I trust that
higher authority will see nothing in them to which exception can be taken.
3. I also enclose for the information of the Government of India a copy of
No. C.-24, dated 18th NovcnW. a ^ fr , om Shakespear stating
according to current rumour, the nature
of the terms which the Porte hopes to make with Bin Saud.
It seems to me that the final item, if the report proves well-founded, is one
to which we should take exception, if it is contemplated to leave Bin Saud iu
control of Katif and Gjair, and I therefore venture to recommend that a timely
decision he arrived at as to the course we should take for the protection of our
interests in case the present report, in regard to this item, is confirmed.
The Government of India will not have forgotten the correspondence which
has passed in recent years regarding the representation of our commercial in
terests at Katif and the continued desire of British Indian traders to settle there.
Our right to he represented has been recognized in principle and, apart from
the capitulations, there seems no reason we should tolerate and fresh an un
friendly compact between the Porte and Bin Saud, to the continued prejudice
of our rights and interests in this connection.
Memorandum setting forth the position
the time of the contemplated
It is highly important to have in mind to start with a clear understanding
the policy of His Majesty's Government towards Turkey resulting from recent
developments of the general political situation in Europe and the Middle East;
on which policy the attitude of Government towards the question of Bin Saud
and his relations with the Turks is based.
The family having been relegated to Central Arabia for the last 40 years
odd, the present (Amir ?) has lately ejected the Turkish garrisons from the Al
Hasa sanjak and coast and descended to the shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. where he
is in de facto control of the ports of Katif, Ojair and other small posts. As
long as he continues in that position, practically independent of any control, he