'File 14/115 VII Annex (B 9) Abu Musa oxide: collected background material on the case' [‎470r] (966/1904)

iyt>
TEE ABU MUSA INCIDENT
y
'ilie loland or ABU HUSA has frorr tine irameiHorial been the heredi
tary posseeaion of the Jowasir; Shaikh of Shargah, one of the
Shaikhs of the old "pirate Coast 8 , now known as the Truoial
Coast of Onan , of which the several petty Shaikhs are under the
protection of the British Governraent with whom they are in Treat||
relations • On Abu Musa are some Red Oxide deposits « and in
1898 the Shaikh of ; -hargah leased the right of mining the Oxide
to a syndicate CO of S British *Ub|*ets $ or rather nativef]
under British proteotion , on a yearly basis , for the paltry
sum of 250 dollare par arjama t these oonoee sionai res had been
specifically warned to be circumspect in their conduct of the
■ ion tAbout a yt^ar ago one of the concessionaires who liTfJ
at Sb &rgah lodged a complaint with the Shaikh to the effect that
without his concurrence or knowledge ^another of the partners
living at Lingah had granted a monopoly of the output of the
wines to a furth party t hears TJonckhaus • Strong objection was
taken by the Shaikh to this action on the part of one of the Con
cessionaires who had no authority to Introduce outsiders into
the concern ^ and he , the ^haikh, accordingly deterained to
put an -and to the concession • Be informed the oonceasionaires
to that effect, in February last and warned the Llngah pax^^fho
was the «ffending party t to siuspend hin .rdninc operationE , The
Concessionaire paid no attention continued excavating .
Thereupon a formal notice was served upon the concessionaire
|concerned in which he was inforaed that if his labourers were
not removed from the Island in $0 ten days fror date they would
be forcibly ejected • As the concessionaire was a Brtitish subjei
-Ject the Shaikh requested the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. to support his authorit;
' in the matter and with the permission of Oovemntent the concessic
cnaire was informed that the Shaikh would not be prevented frcm
taking the action threatened,in which he appeared to be Justifies
«ed • fhe concessionaire still showing contumely an anted £uard
>?
. was sent over to the islan towards the end of October to give
ft
effect to his orders , and . order to see that no unnecessary f
force was used or blood spilt , H.B.K's Coneul Bunder Abbas was