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Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [324r] (652/1186)
The record is made up of 1 file (589 folios). It was created in 3 Aug 1933-31 Jan 1934. 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.
SBCRBjT.
From
Date
To
7118 Divi8ion '
10 th August, 1933. Ho.33/423.
The Honourable the Political Heel dent In
th#
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
*
(Copy to tbe Corairiander.in.Chief^aBt Indies
Station, (N 0 .14l/4S3).
interpretation of paragraph 4 of Tehran tele/yrpw
of 6th August 1933 Is that it » a ! assumed thlt tL minor
officiais obtain instructions from their superiors to avoid
rn ct ion,
2. Our dealings with the ’ersians in sane of the Gulf
Forts (usually with very minor officials such as Deouty
Governor, Health Officers, Customs Officials etc.) far
removed from ^ehran and viewed from the "other end of the
telescope ", give us a contrary impression.
3. For instance, at Henjam it is known that the uetty
officials dare not appear friendly lest they should be
renorted by the others to hi^ier authority. It is notice
able that after the recent visit of the Governorof the
Gulf Forts, aggravating and totally unnecessaary incidents
have had recrudescence, as the attached extract from the
"BITVSiDPD'S" latest Report of Proceedings will show.
4. Again at Basidu, there is only me petty official,
who only cones in contact with us when he crosses the
border and has heen cautioned to avoid British Basidu by
His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief. H e has informed me
personally that he re-oorts every incident to his superiors
and that they concur in his action. It wouldseera he is
definitely encouraged, "^en again there was the recent
visit to British Basidu by the Governor of the Forts which
may, or may not, he connected with the latest outrage
against the British flag.
5. At Abadan, where there is scope fbr friction on
a wider scale owing to the greater number of people con
cerned, similar views to ours are held by Port Officials
and others. ’Whether these views are shared by the A«P.O.C.
personnel I do not know. They are a more or less self-
contained community and the Company has wisely taken steps
to reduce the possibility of friction.
6. Enclosure No.2 contains a few extracts from some
rough notes hurriedly jotted down during a few hours stay
at Abadan. They are, admittedly, very incomplete and
sketchy and were intended for no use other than a personal
reminder for future enquiries I intended to make when time
permitted during a longer stay.
The first {*) was told me by a responsible official
who requested me not to divulge his identity.
About this item
- Content
This file contains correspondence between British diplomatic and naval officials concerning an incident on 31 July 1933 when four Persian naval officers landed at Basidu (a naval station on Qishm island used by Britain) and took down the British flag in the presence of witnesses including an Italian and a Frenchman. Subsequently, a Royal Navy vessel arrived at the station and the British flag was re-hoisted.
The correspondence discusses the details of the incident itself, its aftermath and its impact on Britain's relations with the Government of Iran. It also covers what steps were taken to 'restore British prestige in the eyes of the Gulf Arabs', including details regarding the dispatch of a royal navy flotilla to the region.
In addition to correspondence, the file also contains the following:
- Relevant press cuttings regarding the incident and Britain's response (folios 78, 169, 311 and 364)
- Copy of a circular clarifying the sequence of events in Basidu that was issued by the British authorities in the Gulf (folio 11)
- 'Copy of a note dated the 14th August 1933, from the Head Clerk, H.B.M.'s Consulate, Bandar Abbas, regarding a conversation which recently took place between the Governor of Bandar Abbas and the Consulate Mirza' (folio 255)
- 'Basidu Incident' a summary of events written by J V Creagh, Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (folios 329-331)
- 'Extract from Cabinet Conclusions dated 5th September 1933 - Relations with Persia, Basidu Incident' (folios 370-376)
- 'Legal Status of Basidu' (folios 398-399)
- 'Cabinet: Relations with Persia - Basidu Incident. Memorandum by the First Lord of the Admiralty' (folios 413-415)
- Cabinet Memorandum regarding Basidu Incident (folios 416-417)
- 'Foreign Office Memorandum for submission to the Cabinet on the subject of the Flag Incident at Basidu' (folios 435-440)
- A small sketch map marking the boundaries of 'British Basidu' (folio 536).
The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (589 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 591; 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [324r] (652/1186), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/3775, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100060481231.0x000035> [accessed 27 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/3775
- Title
- Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:77v, 79r:168v, 170r:310v, 312r:363v, 365r:590v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence