File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎509r] (705/840)

Department
9 • Establishment of a I T ejdi harbour in t he
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
This matter has agitated' Ibn Baud since 1512,
when he ejected the Turks from Hasa and Qatif. After
the war the question was discussed with the British
India Steam navigation Company at intervals up
till 1924. Two alternatives seemed open;
(1) That the subsidiary mail steamer which calls at
Bahrein should make an additional call at Qatif. The
Company were very reluctant to contemplate this on
account of the delay it would involve; (2) That
a small steamer, based on Bahrein, snould be used for
periodical round trips to Qatif, Ojair and Doha (Qatar)
The Company felt that this could be done only at a
considerable loss and that they would require a subsidy
for running expenses. It was decided (almost two
years ago) to say r nothing to Ibn Saud until he
should raise the question again. The matter is one of
some importance to Ibn Baud’s treasury, which would
benefit from customs duties if the imports into ITejd
now passing through Bahrein could be landed at a port
within his own territory.
The commander of the Royal Indian Marine
Survey vessex ’’palinurus” investigated the neighbourhood
in 1923 and concluded that Qatif was ’’the only possible
place at which decent-sized vessels could call”; ”it
is comparatively easy of access, but has the
objection thao a steamer of even 20 ft. draught has
:o lie about 5 miles off the town”. Of Rro Tanura,
where Ibn Saud wishes to construct a harbour, he