'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎18r] (35/1386)

the generally accepted principle of international !„„■ extend to Utree miles ont to sea from the
and down the'shaU^e"!AlbTt'aU times"' 0re * e '’ VU '’ U ' l0 " S establisl,e,t ''‘K 1 ' 1 to P» 8S freely up
Hag'of^ belligerent me.olmn,' 'X'l""* ^ ** ***?“**■ i »»‘ 'f"™- Wte to a nent ra I
under ordinary cheumst-inecs It -im n ° '" accordance with international law recognised
appears we slIalV't^T^ ^ ' f t " t '
“ Note by Sir A. Hirtzel, Political Secretary, 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. , dated 8 th October 1914
rtSSSSS'? s — :i
been instructed to repeat'to Government of iiidia m ^ }6t available )’ whlch }ie has
to encourage if it is destroyed rememhe r ^ss of pi-estige with the Arabs, whom we wish
latio.f" EalireTr! ^ Bal,rein ’ tlie water difficult)- can presumably be got over by distil-
sssmammsms
Viceroy as foilotv^ 11 ot State ‘elegmpl.ed to tl.e
U ?" Ex r e : , iti'- n ■' D Y °ur telegram of 7th October, and mine of same date
disturbing^mbaifMaho^iedan^huTiT igT n^cessary'in^j^a^sime' Arabs ^ho^vilMte'^‘t^t ^d
incline to Bassidn as a suitable rendezvons but for scanty of water O, t ?n P t *5
, iffic l it n h ?^r■ t r ,itiC ? , i£ 'liibculties of landing can'be racP Probably w,Ter
difficult) at Bassidu can be overcome by distillation. " bei
continue!*' *** e " d me Y ° ur Yie "' s »♦ once. Meanwhile all preparations should
Between the Sth and 13th October the following telegrams passed
finXVos 6 ,mll ; l | 0n,ce T'. d fhc Vieeroy, with the result that Bahrein was
Imalry chosen as the immediate objective of the expedition.
“ Fl ' om Yicei ‘°. v to Secretary of State for India, dated 9 th October 1914.
“ ^. 0 - ^-.J; 38 , 1 -. Your telegram No. 1187. Expedition “ I).”
ie difficulties of landing troops at Bahrein can he overcome, and there is o-ood water
Tiuhnfe y:!w c difficnit ilmpms 8r ° Ur ' dS - D “* ill “‘ i "” of »•»*« fo '- » foree landed”,t Bassidu
Unti‘ Th ? re - 1S , n ° 3(,ubfc ^ ha t Bahrein by its position near head of the Gulf has many advant-.o-es
both material and political over Bassidu, while it has none of the disadvantages of Ahadan°is
a place of disembarkation. & 01 Aoaadn as
„f ,° f 7 ,' t, ' 00 l )S at Bab ; e “ " ould be a sufficiently good reply t„ any boastings
of the 1 urks and should reassure completely the Arabs. ‘ ooasungs
“ Preparations are being pushed forward and one Brigade will start on 14th or loth.”
" From Viceroy'to Secretary of .State for India, dated 9 th October 1914.
foreign Secret. 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. , Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. reports 8 lb October, followino- telegram
sent t° Ambassador, Constantinople, by Consul at Basra.
“ ^ Sayyid Talib came to see me b.st night. He says Tmkey seems resolved on war This
does not suit Arabs. He would like to enter into negotiations'with regard to his attitude in
case of hostilities between England and Turkey. He desired me to ask Your Excellency n>
remind Lord Kitchener ol a conversation with him at Cairo three years ago, and to sky that
time has come. 1 promised to transmit message to you and to ask for instructions.’ ” ^
1 rom Secretary of State for India to Viceroy, Army Department, dated 10th October 1914.
‘‘ Private 1207. Your H. 1381. Expedition “ D.”
Sliakespear says water difficulty is as great at Bahrein as at Basidu. but that the real
objection to former is the difficulty of getting away if the wind is unfavourable. On this
point I must leave decision to you. If you decide on Bahrein please wire date on which
expedition should arrive there. It is still important to keep destination secret, as otherwise
inconvenient protests might be made.”
M.S. 128. |j