ملف رقم ٧٥٧ لسنة ١٩٠٩ "الخليج الفارسي: تركيا والعدوان التركي (احتلال جزيرة الزخنونية. الموقف تجاه قضايا القرصنة. المدراء في الزبارة والعُديد والوكرة) العلاقات البريطانية مع تركيا في الخليج الفارسي" [و‎‎١‎٦‎٦] (٤٩٥/٣٣٦)

6. The Vali has now replied to the Shaikh’s letter: he states that careful
enquiry in the presence of Haji Sultan has shown that none of the stolen property
was landed in Turkish soil, and further states that Shaikh Naghaim has said that
he knew who the robbers were, that they were all in Mohammerah, and that if
he went there he could point them out.
7. The absurdity of the last statement is evident: pirates operating near
the outer buoy do not live at Mohammerah, and Shaikh Naghaim is not well
acquainted with Mohammerah.
The “ careful enquiry ” moreover, did not take place in the presence of
Haji Sultan, and it seems doubtful whether it took place at all.
8. The incident seems to me to be a further instance of the facility with
which the subordinate Turkish officials are able to deceive the Vali, in the same
way as they did in the case of Muhammad Chanan at Zain. It also seems to
show that the ability and determination of the Turkish authorities to cope with
river piracy is more doubtful than Mr. Consul Crow seems to think. In this
case, I am led by the evidence to conclude that the Turks have allowed piratical
Arabs to intimidate them, without taking any steps to punish them, and that
the Turkish police cover up their defeat by the old plea that the culprits live
in Mohammerah.
Encouraged in this way, pirates will doubtless resume their operations when
the boats come up for the date season.
9. I may add that the number of British sailing craft entering Mohammerah
in 1909 was 86, the corresponding number for Basrah being 30. The larger
figure for Mohammerah is due to the fact that there is no export duty on dates
from Mohammerah, and that the cheaper sorts, for the Indian market, are
mainly grown.
The safety of the river is therefore a matter of importance to Mohammerah
even more than to Basrah, and I note, therefore, with great regret that it has
been decided not to depute one of His Majesty’s ships for the protection of
British sailing craft this year.
There seems reason to fear a recrudescence of piracy on the river, for which
the Mohammerah authorities will be blamed, although the direct cause of it
will be the failure of the Turks to take any action in the definite case referred
to above, when it was referred to them by Shaikh Khazal.
0 . C. B. P., Simla.—No. C3613 F. D.-16 9-10.-44 -H.C.S L.