"دليل الخليج. الجزء الأول. المواد التاريخية والسياسية. ملخص عن التوسع التركي على السواحل العربية للخليج العربي وشؤون الأحساء والقطيف" [‎١‎٠‎٣] (١٦٠/١١٥)

103
tion to be occupied henceforward by the Turkish Government in these regions, would not be
prejudicial to Persian interests. As long as the limits of Turkish authority remain
undefined, plausible arguments may be advanced for strengthening the Turkish squadron on
duty in the Gulf. An increase in the number of Turkish vessels' in these waters would add
appreciably to the Turkish power of aggression against Persia, at a point where the Shah's
capabilities of resistance are specially feeble. When once those limits have been settled, there
would be less excuse for an indefinite increase to the Turkish fleet in the Gulf, such as, for
instance, was contemplated in 1871. In this view, therefore, the proposed settlement would be
of advantage to Persia.
19. Colonel Ross anticipates that the claims of the Turkish Government to the suzer
ainty of the whole of Arabia will hinder the proposed settlement of the limits of Turkish
authority. In former days the Turks have asserted that Nejd is a Turkish province, that the
Wahabee Amir is aTurkish official, and that Bahrein, Abuthabi, Debaye, and other towns on
the coast are included in Nejd territory. We do not think that these pretensions would
necessarily be revived by a discussion of the question of litteral jurisdiction; but if, they
should be put forward, we presume that they would be negatived by Her Majesty's
Government as firmly and conclusively as the Turkish claim to Bahrein has been already
negatived.
20. There remains the question of the procedure to be followed by the Resident at
Bushire, and the Political Agent in Turkish Arabia in the transaction of business in which the
Turkish authorities are concerned. There is no doubt that the Resident in the Persian Gulf
should keep the Political Agent in Turkish Arabia fully informed of proceedings which
involve a reference to Turkish officials. In such matters, it is essential that there should exist
between the British Agents constant and confidential intercourse. The difficulty is ibo deter
mine by rule at what point the conduct of correspondence should pass from the Resident in
the Persian Gulf to the Political Agent in Turkish Arabia. Generally speaking, all matters
relating to Turkish jurisdiction or responsibilities should be transferred to the Baghdad Agency
as soon as possible, though on emergency the Bushire Resident would, in the first place, address
the Turkish authorities direct. The same rule applies mutatis mutandis to correspondence
between the Political Agent at Baghdad and the Persian authorities in'Khuzistan, For the
rest, a great deal must be left to the discretion and experience of the officers concerned, and
to their joint action; and in this sense it might be advisable to issue some general instructions
to the two Agencies.
410. The question of the suppression of piracy in the Persian Gulf was
No. 55, Political, dated 22nd May 1879. already under consideration when the
» 77 ' " " 23rd June » despatch from which the extracts cited
are taken reached the India Office. A copy of it and the other letters noted
in the margin were forwarded to the foreign Office in Sir L. Mallet's letter,
dated 1st August, with the following remarks :—
" Lord Cranbrook is disposed to concur generally in the views set forth in the Government
of India letter No. 127 of the 22nd May last, more particularly as regards the expediency of
defining the limits within which Turkish jurisdiction on tha coast of the Persian Gulf will
be recognized.
So many important questions are however involved that His Lordship prefers to delay
expressing any positive opinion, until he has been able to consider more fully all the correspond
ence connected with the subject/'
411. The Foreign Office replied in Sir Julian Pauncefote's letter, dated
23rd August. This dealt first with the subject-matter of the despatches from
the Government of India, No. 55, dated 22nd May, and No. 77, dated 23rd
June, cited above, and intimated the action which Lord Salisbury proposed to
take in respect to them. It then explained the position of the Odeid affair,
and concluded with the following expression of Lord Salisbury's view 7 son the
question of Turkish jurisdiction :— > I
" Upon these proposals Lord Salisbury will be glad to receive the further observations
from Lord Cranbrook promised in your letter. It appears to Lord Salisbury, however, at first
sight that the arrangement to which it is desired by the Government of India that the Turkish
Government should be brought to consent, is one which would, no doubt, be convenient in
view of British interests, but which offers few or no corresponding advantages to Turkey.
The Porte is apparently expected to agree to a definition of its authority along the coast, as
not in any way extending beyond the neighbourhood of El-Bidaa. It would be called upon to
abandon the claim, which, though practically rejected by Her Majesty's Government, it has
never itself in terms renounced, to sovereignty over Bahrein, to acknowledge that island as
independent under British protection ; and further, to concede to the Chief, in the event of
attacks upon his territories, the right of taking such defensive measures as may be necessary,
under the sanction of the British Resident at Bushire, even to the extent of following up his
j i