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Coll 30/58 'Persian Gulf. Anglo-Persian Relations. Persian insult to British flag at Basidu' [414r] (832/1186)
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.
results have been an exaggerated feeling of self-importance
on the part 01 Persia ? a steady sapping of our oosition in
the Gulf 5 and a decline in our prestige which the Political
Resident states is u more marked than I could have conceived
possible 4 '. I have no great hopes in the possibility
of obtaining a satisfactory treaty in this way. The
Persian policy is clearly to oust us from our position
of arbiter of the Gulf, and I am of the opinion that a
tonic is needed to restore our position in Persia and that
the present, when the Persians are clearly in the wrong,
would be a good moment for it to be administered.
4. I would point out that the action which I
recommend has from the beginning been supported by the two
responsible authorities actually on the spot, namely, the
Naval Comnander-in-Chief and 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.
at
Bushire.
5. I suggest, therefore, that the Charge d'Affaires
be instructed to ash for a ceremony at Basidu to
include the rehoisting of the Flag by Persia, in the
presence of British warships. Ii this is reiused, I would
suggest a strongly v/orded note to Persia pointing out the
impossibility of Treaty negotiations whilst the insult
remains unatoned; insisting upon our determination in the
meanwhile to maintain
of course, Henjam;
we have maintainv>d an
the status quo in the Gulf, including
and emphasizing that for a long period
attitude of friendship for Persia, but
that the
an attemp
and that
recent policy of Persia can only be interpreted as
t to undermine the British position in the Gnxi,
this makes the continuance of friendly relations
impossible. We might go on to point out that British
friendship has been in the past of great value to Persia, as
witness our steady refusal hitherto to countenance the
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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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