'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎179v] (363/386)

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No. 231 (Secret—External), dated Fort 'William,, the 8th December 190C
From—The Government of India in the Foreign Department,
To—The Right Hon’ble St. Joein Brodrick, His Majesty’s Secretary of State for
India.
We have the honour to refer to the correspondence ending with your Secret
telegram, dated the bth September 1904, regarding the recent acts of piracy
committed in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. near Katif by Ahmed-bin-Selman.
2. The papers detailed in the annexed schedule are forwarded for infoma-
tion. It will be observed that, in October 1901, 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. reported the occurrence of piracies off the Arabian coast, and that
members of the Beni Hajir tribe, residing in the El Katr peninsula, were held
to have been concerned in at least one of the four cases mentioned in letter No.
187, dated 14th October 1901, from Lieutenant-Colonel Kemball. In Septem
ber 1902,- that officer drew attention to the recrudescence of acts of piracy, in
the vicinity of El Katr and Bahrein, committed by a party of the same tribe
under the leadership of one Ahmed-bin-Selman, a! notorious had character.
Endeavours were made to secure steps being taken by the Turkish officials
towards the arrest of Ahmed-bin-Selman. These endeavours resulted in a
* Eoetosar., sir tfieoUrCPCono. (be Mai^oes. communication,* dated’ 15th December
of Lansdowue, No. 833, dated the 16th December 1903, from the Sublime Porte, stating
* 903 ' that the pirate had left for Koweit, ancf
could not consequently he arrested. It is, however, worthy of note that, in
October 1902, it was reported that he had thrown himself on the mercy of the
Mufessarif of A1 Hassa, to whom he is stated to have personally handed two
pearls, and who promised him pardon on condition that he divulged the name*
of his accomplices and that the latter gave up their share of the plunder. The
statement that he had left for Koweit was further refuted by Mr. Gaskin,
Assistant 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. , Bahrein, in August 1903. The recent cases of
piracy committed by Ahmed-bin-Selman go to show that Mr. Gaskin made
a correct statement when he reported that the pirate had evidently been advised
to keep out of the way : the fact being that he is not arrested by the Turkish
authorities, because they hope that as a cousin and subject of Sheikh Isa, Chief
of Bahrein, who has been outlawed by the latter, he will prove a thorn in the
side of that Chief’s subjects.
3. We purpose reviewing the more recent cases of piracy in the neighbour
hood of Katif, Bahrein, and the El Katr peninsula, which have for long been
subjected to piratical depredations. In the year 1887, no fewer than seven
serious piracies occurred between the months of July and October. These were
reported in our despatch No. 69, dated the 17th April 1888. Of late years—
there have been no such outbreaks as this, hut the evil still continues. In
1899, four cases were reported. In 1900 there were five more cases. In 1901
there appears to have been complete immunity. In 1902 four distinct acts of
piracy were committed by one gang under the leadership of Abmed-bin-
Selraan, while in 1903 he again appeared in the vicinity of Katif, but, beyond
an unsuccessful attempt upon a Bahrein dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. in the vicinity of tbe pearl
hanks off the the Katr coast, no act of piracy was reported.
The details of the several piracies committed in 1899, 1900, and 1902 are as
follows: —
(1) In February 1899, a Persian boat was plundered off Abu Zaluf on the
El Katr coast. It was subsequently reported, however, that it was doubtful
whether this was a genuine case of piracy.
(2) On the 11th August 1899, a boat belonging to a Bahrein subject was
attacked and plundered near the Shakta pearl hanks in the vicinity of Katif.
The pirates are said to have belonged to Daren in the same neighbourhood.
The value of the property stolen was not reported, but a small proportion is said
to have been recovered. How recovery was effected is not clear. Sir Nicolas
O’Conor was, however, directed to instruct His Britannic Majesty’s Consul at
Basrah to let it be known that in future the British Government would itself