'File No: E.7. Qatar & Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1913' [‎166r] (346/460)

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54
No. 3206 9-3, dated Basrah, the 17th April ( re eei ved 2n(1 M , 1916
Fr0m ' Offi"r?Basral 1>0litiCal EesideDt 1,1 the ^ Gulf and Chief Political
To-The W. ry to the Gove tnm e D t of India in the Foreign and Political Depart-
I have the honour to refer to the correspondence ending with Foreign
• Serial No. 52. ^P'^t ment telegram,* No. S. 938, dated
nth fee ptember. regarding the proposed
treaty with the Shaikh of A1 Katar
2. I attach a copy of my letterf of instructions to Colonel Grey, dated
t Enclosure No. i. ICtli September, with enclosures for fho
t Enclosure No. 2 . ^0^ of the Goveri]ment ^ ^
... . . together with a copy of his lettert of 26t}i
October communicatiDg what passed at his visit to Shaikh Abdullah bin
Jasim.
3. The upshot of this is that Shaikh Abdullah accepts the Articles
marked [, II, 111, \ I, A II, IX and X, with certain reservations, but says he
does not feel able lor the present to subscribe to:—
Article IV, —Heception of British traders and an Agent,
Article V. —Limitation of duty on British goods.
Ai tide V111. —Establishment of a Post Office and a Telegraph Office
when we consider it necessary.
4. Major Keyes, in connection with a visit of Shaikh Abdullah's some
what disaffected brother, Khalifah, to the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , recommended that
Tide telegram No. 62 c. of 29tii Novembfr (copy further negotiations be delayed until W0
8ttHCbt ' d )- had an opportunity of gauging Khalifah'a
attitude to his brother and to ourselves.
5. I would recommend another attempt to get the treaty signed without
alteration, in order to keep it in line with those in force in the case of the
other Shaikhs in treaty with us, but I think we might give Shaikh Abdullah a
separate letter at the same time explaining that it was important to have the
treaty worded on the same lines as others, but assuring him that we have no
intention at present of pressing for fulfilment of Articles IV, A' and VIII,
As long as our right in each of these respects is clearly enunciated, I think we
can allord to reserve them for the present for the reason that, if trade and
harbour facilities progress at Bahrain, as they are doing, the trade for the
greater part of the Katar Peninsula will depend upon Bahrain, \vhen we shall
have practical control over it.
6. As regards Article VI of the General Treaty, I am of opinion that it
would be best for Shaikh Abdullah to sign the treaty as a whole but with the
reservation above the signature in regard to the above Article that he does
not subscribe to Article VI.
7. Unless the Government consider that there is sufficient urgency a l )01 ^
the matter to necessitate its being pushed immediately, 1 contemplate, it a
gees well, getting away for a week or ten days during the coming hot wcat er,
to visit Katar and endeavour to get the treaty put through.
Enclosure No, 1 of Serial 2so. 54.
Copy of a letter from the llon'ble 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 Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Basrah to Lieu
tenant-Colonel W. G. Grey, LA., Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,' Kuwait, dated the 16th Septem ei o.
I have the honour to inform you that the Government ^
anproved§ of a suggestion from me that
§ Cf. Serial No. 47. ^ should proceed to Katar in one ot
^is Majesty's Ships to negotiate a treaty with Shaikh Abdullah bin Jasim
lllfi m"