ملف ٢١٨٢ لسنة ١٩١٣، الجزء ٣ "الخليج الفارسي، معاهدة قطر" [و‎‎٧‎٣] (٢٥٤/١٥٤)

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No. 40 E.-A, dated Simla, the 13th May 1915 (Confidential)^
t0 the G ° Vernffient ° £ India in ^ ana
T °“ Tiie co1 ’ k ' cj ' e " c ' sj '’ poiiticai
I am directed to inyite a reference to the correspondence ending with
your telegram, No. 631 B., dated the 24th March 1915 resrardin^ tl^ nrnr^ncori
Treaty with Shaikh Abdulla bin Jasim bin Thani, Shaikh of El Eatr. P ^
that m 0V if rnment llave suggested that it is perhaps desirable
that this Tieaty should be an accomplished fact whenever the discussion
among the Powers as to the future of Arabia comes up. suusion
3 A ^ view of the fact that we are at war with Turkey, our past relations
with that Power m regard to El Katr may be regarded as dissolved, and we*
may consider ourselves m a position to start afresh. At the same time, in
relation to the outside world generally, our position in the Persian Gulf, and
a fortiori in regard to El Katr remains unaltered and the fact that the Gov-
ernment of India have not concluded a formal Treaty with El Katr could, it is
thought, not possibly affect the question of the future of Arabia, in anv
arrangement between the Entente Powers. The mere existence of a small
lacuna in our Treaty relations with the Arabian Coast of the Persian Gulf at
El Katr could scarcely be used by either Prance or Bussia as grounds for a
claim m that vicinity, and it is difficult to believe that either of these Powers
would make use of this as* an eicuse for questioning our paramount position
m that direction. 1
k non
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4^ Admitting, however, that His Majesty r s Government have good
reasons for pressing the conclusion of the Treaty with El Katr, the Govern
ment of India are of opinion that there are considerable difficulties which
mahe such a course undesirable at present. In the first place, a necessarv
preliminary to any negotiations with El Katr is the ejection of the Turkish
garrison at El Bida. It is understood that a ship of war cannot be spared
for the purpose, and it would be inadvisable to detach even a small force
from Mesopotamia. Apart from this* the question of El Katr is intimately
connected with the negotiations at present in progress with Bin Sand and it
would be a grave error to prejudice those negotiations by concluding before
hand a Treaty with El Katr, the terms of which Bin Sand might conceivably
consider objectionable.. Then again, the present Shaikh of Katr, Shaikh
Abdulla Bin Jasim, seems to have some difficulty in holding his own, and it
would obviously he undesirable to conclude a Treaty with a de jure ruler
unless his position is also assured de facto. Until the Government of India are
definitely assured as to the ability of Shaikh Abdulla to discharge his obliga
tions under any Treaty which may be concluded, they are not prepared^to
conclude such a Treaty.
5. Eiually, I am to point out that in the draft Treaty forwarded with
Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Knox’s letter No. CL 52, dated the 21st July
1914, it is proposed to give the Shaikh a subsidy of Rs. 1,000 a month, and
this seems an innovation on the prucial Coast, for neither under the f l reaty of
1868 with the Shaikh of Katr, nor under any of the Treaties with the Truciai
Chiefs, are subsidies given.
6. I am to add that one of the main objects of the proposed Treaty with
El Katr was the control of the arms traffic, but it must be remembered that
the present war has considerably modified the conditions in this respect, as
for some time to come, the arms traffic in Europe will be at a standstill, while
with the elimination of Eiench interests in Maskat and our own improved
position in the Gulf generally, we should be able in the future to control
this traffic on much stronger and more uncompromising lines than heretofore.
In so far then as the arms traffic is concerned, a Treaty with Katr would
appear no longer to be a matter of urgency.
' 7. I am to request that you will consider the matter in the light of the.
foregoing remarks, and favour the Government of India with your views as to
whether the conclusion of the Treaty with El Katr is immediately feasible, and
if so, with whom, and on what terms it should be concluded. A copy of the
draft Treaty as revised in this office in enclosed.
on 7 wer jyjswitti
FOBEIGN SECRETARY'S
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