ملف رقم ١٦٠ لسنة ١٩٠٣ "الخليج الفارسي: قطر؛ تعيين مديرين أتراك؛ مسألة معاهدة الحماية مع قطر" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٨] (٨٦٠/٢٢١)

In jour letter of 17th November last, as to the maintenance of the
status quo, could not properly or consistently enter into an agreement
of the kind suggested by the Government of India, Mr. Brodrick would
recommend for Lord Lansdowne’s consideration the proposal put forward
by the Government of India, which would not only secure the exclusion
of foreign interference from the peninsula, but assist the Indian
authorities in maintaining control over the pearl fisheries in the Gulf.
I have, Ac.,
The Under Secretary of State, A. Godley.
Foreign Office.
Enclosure No. 2.
Foreign Office to India Office.
Foreign Office,
Sir, 18th J uly 1904.
With reference to your letter of the 18th May, I am directed by
the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit herewith, to be laid before the
Secretary of State for India, copies of correspondence with His Majesty’s
Ambassador at Constantinople relative to the proposal of the Govern
ment of India for concluding an agreement with the Sheikh of El Katr,
similar to the arrangements with the Trucial Chiefs.
Sir N. O’Conor does not consider that it would be possible to justify
a convention with the Sheikh of El Katr on the ground of the delay
which has occurred in the cancelling of the appointment of the Mudir
of Wakra, and His Excellency is justified in stating that he never went
further than to express a somewhat hesitating opinion that such an
arrangement might possibly be defended as not necessarily inconsistent
with the maintenance of the status quo if it were directed solely to the
exclusion of foreign interference.
At the same time, Lord Lansdowne understands that Sir N. O’Conor
does not absolutely oppose the conclusion of an arrangement, if, on
general grounds, it is considered expedient. I am, however, to call
special attention to his observations as to the cumulative effect of the
numerous steps which are being taken in the Gulf in exciting suspicion
in the minds of the Turkish Government, and to his recommendation
that any steps which are finally decided upon should be carried out as
quietly as possible, and should bear the appearance of being directed
towards the virtual preservation of the status quo in the Gulf.
I am, &c.,
The Under Secretary of State F. H. Villiers.
for India.
Annex 1.
The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir N. O’Conor.
No. 203. Foreign Office,
Sir, 7th June 1904.
With reference to your Excellency’s Despatch, No. 235, of the
5th April, I transmit herewith copies of correspondence with the India
Office on the subject of the delay of the Turkish Government in
suppressing the Mudirate of Wakra.
Your Excellency will observe that the Secretary of State for India
reverts to the question, already discussed in November last, of con
cluding an Agreement with Sheikh of El Katr. The arrangement
proposed is one similar to that made with the Trucial Chiefs in 1892,