"الخليج العربي - الولاية القضائية التركية على طول الساحل العربي (الجزء الثاني)" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎١] (٤٥/١٠)

Arabs a marked contempt for British power with a
wish to exalt Turkish prestige at the expense of
that of England in those regions. This is almost
self-evident, as even had the Banyans been guilty
of serious offences intimation would have been due
to British authority before ordering them into the
interior of Nejd,
«< * * * ^ n y 0Iie knowing the disposition
and habits of the class of Hindoo traders will
understand the extreme harshness, not to say
cruelty, of forcing such persons to perform a
journey through an Arab district like that of
Nejd.
" The matter has excited no little astonishment,
and the upshot will be watched with lively atten
tion by the people of the Gulf. Whatever redress
Government considers proper to enforce, I would
respectfully submit that the occasion requires that
it should be speedy, and as openly made known as
the affront has been public."
Lieutenant Praser, the Assistant Eesident, who
was sent to El Bidaa to investigate the affair,
reported that at this time Mahomed bin Thanee
had no power whatsoever, the local authority
being entirely in the hands of Jasim bin Thanee
his son, who was styled Kaimakam; that this
title had been conferred on him by the Turks ;
that he flew the Turkish flag, and acknowledged
no other supremacy, and that the place was gar
risoned by 45 irregular soldiers.
In forwarding the papers on the subject to the
Secretary of State, the Government of India
observed—*
" The Turkish Government has, for some years
past, been occupied in establishing its influence and
power at El Bidaa, and that place may now be con
sidered as incorporated with the Turkish dominions.
The authority of the Chief, Mahomed bin Thanee,
has been transferred to his son Jasim, who is
favourably inclined to Turkish rule, hoists the
Turkish flag, and pays revenue to the Pasha at
Lahsa. El Bidaa, which is a small port on the
east of the Guttur promontory, does not belong to
any tribe having treaty relations with the British
Government. So long, therefore, as the Chief
commits no outrages by sea, and avoids inter
ference with our allies, we have no valid ground
to object to what extent he submits to Turkish
authority, nor, in our opinion, have we any interest
in objecting. Our policy is to keep clear of any
complications that may arise upon the mainland.
" But whether El Bidaa is a Turkish possession
or not, the orders issued by the authorities at
Lahsa and the action taken thereon were, we con
sider, a gross outrage upon two Indian British
subjects, if the accuracy of the Assistant Resident's
report is to be relied on. -Although there is no
ground for supposing that they were subjected to
personal ill treatment, the compulsory removal of
two innocent men from their homes under the
;;; ; v
* Political, No. 28, dated
4th Feb. 1876.
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