!['TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [‎118v] (22/28)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x00015d/IOR_L_PS_18_B126_0021.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [‎118v] (22/28)")
'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [118v] (22/28)
The record is made up of 1 file (14 folios). It was created in 7 Apr 1879. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
( 22 )
it is preserved, we shall have the Turks
pressing upon the Trucial Chiefs from
the land side, who will take advantage
of a divided author it) to hoist the Tur
kish or the trucial flag as may be con
venient. As illustrations of this view,
take the case of El.Bidaa, which has
now become Turkish; and of Odeid,
which attempted to follow the example
set by El-Bidaa. I would, therefore,
recognize the Trucial Chiefs as being
wholly subordinate, and not only in
respect to their maritime proceedings,
to the British Government. At some
future time it might be politically ad
visable to amalgamate all these petty
Chiefs with Muscat ; to assign the
Sultan of Muscat the position of a feu
datory chief with jurisdiction as far as
the Turkish boundary ; and in return
for this extension of territory, to take
from him a tributary contribution to
wards the maintenance of the Naval
Squadron in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.
A revision of our agreements both
with Muscat and the Arab Trucial
Chiefs (including, of course, Bahrein),
appears to me a question of the first im
portance. It is due to the policy which
the British Government have pursued for
many years at heavy expense, and to the
efficient naval police which we keep
up, that piratical outrages have ceased
on all that part of the coast subject to
our influence. The result is, that the
commerce of the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
has
developed to an extent which a few
years ago would have been deemed
impossible, and has been valued at eight
millions Stirling.* Probably this esti- .. Throagh isUtic TurlM .
mate is an outside one ; but there is no
doubt about the magnitude of the
Gulf Trade, and that it is steadily in
creasing. The Trucial Chiefs and Muscat
have all benefited enormously by the
prolonged and settled peace wiiich our
operations have secured. Nevertheless,
not only do they contribute nothing
towards the maintenance of a condition
of tilings so profitable to themselves,
but their very engagements with us
omit all recognition of the British Gov
ernment as the Paramount power. We
have never exercised any right of so
vereignty oyer them, ancl except as re
gards maritime proceedings we possess
no legal control over them. Hence, I
venture to urge that the proposed
negotiations with the Porte should be
undertaken with the object, not only of
limiting Turkish jurisdiction, but of
About this item
- Content
Memorandum written by Trevor John Chicheley Plowden, Under Secretary to the Foreign Department, Government of India, 21 Mar 1879, and published 25 March 1879 in Lahore by the Punjab Government.
The memorandum addresses the question of Turkish jurisdiction in the islands and waters of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and on the Arab littoral, looking at the entire southern coast from Koweit [Kuwait] to Ras-el-Had [Ra’s al-Hadd], but focusing primarily on the Arab coast and islands from Ras Tanorah [Ra's Tannūrah] to Ras Mussendom [Ra’s Musandam], including El-Bidaa [al-Bida], Bahrein [Bahrain], Zobara [Zubārah], El-Katr [Qatar] and the territories of the Arab Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. chiefs.
The memorandum commences with a brief history of events at Odeid [Al ‘Udayd] in the 1800s, and the uncertainty in the 1870s over whether or not it was part of the territory of the Chief of Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi] or was an independent territory, and also discusses attempts by the Chief of El-Katr to persuade the Chief at Odeid, Shaikh Buttye to hoist a Turkish flag, which he refused.
The memorandum, which cites correspondence 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Colonel Lewis Pelly, Colonel Edward Charles Ross), goes on to consider the Turkish authorities in Nejd [Najd] and their interests in Abuthabi and Debaye [Dubai]; further claims of Turkish interest in Odeid, including in 1877 claims that the inhabitants of Odeid were paying a tribute to the Turks through the Chief of El-Bidaa; and correspondence with the Turkish Government regarding an increase in piracy along the El-Katr coast.
The memorandum focuses particularly on events in Odeid from 1877 onwards, including attempts to mediate a settlement between Abuthabi and Odeid; British intentions to support Abuthabi should a settlement not be mediated; vessels belonging to the Chief of Odeid having attacked vessels from Wukra [al Wakrah], breaching the maritime peace. The memorandum then reverts to the original questions relating to Turkish jurisdiction and concludes that Odeid is not a part of El-Katr territory, and is part of Abuthabi territory and is therefore answerable to the Chief of Abuthabi.
The memorandum then reverts to the larger question of Turkish jurisdiction and considers the area from Ojair [al-‘Uqayr] to El-Bidaa and noting that they were not considered to be responsible for that area, but could have reasonable claim to do so should they wish; it also discusses the possibility of negotiating a line of demarcation to show where Turkish jurisdiction ends and British jurisdiction commences and the need for the British Government to reserve the right to suppress maritime irregularities at sea. The memorandum concludes by considering whether the question of a line of demarcation should be put to the Secretary of State for India; how to ensure that Bahrein [Bahrain] is recognised as independent of all Governments except Great Britain; and what impact such an agreement might have on Persia.
Accompanying the memorandum is a note written by Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Foreign Department, Government of India, 7 April 1879 which supports the proposals outlined within it.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (14 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 108 and terminates at folio 121, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in the top-right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio; these numbers are also written in pencil but are not circled.
Pagination: This section of the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [118v] (22/28), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B126, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000016> [accessed 5 January 2025]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000016
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000016">'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL' [‎118v] (22/28)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036122271.0x000016"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x00015d/IOR_L_PS_18_B126_0021.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000833.0x00015d/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B126
- Title
- 'TURKISH JURISDICTION IN THE ISLANDS AND WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AND ON THE ARAB LITTORAL'
- Pages
- 108r:121v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence