"ملخص لعلاقات الحكومة البريطانية مع قبائل وشيوخ عربستان. بقلم الملازم أ. ت. ويلسون، القائم بأعمال القنصل في عربستان" [و‎‎٥‎٧] (١٤٣/١١٨)

99
Mais dans le cas on il viendrait a surgir toute contestation relative a cette
signification, ce sera le texte frangais qui seul prevaudra.
Tehran, le de Safar 1319 de I’Hegira, soit leO) Mai, mille neuf cent
un.
(Signed) WILLIAM KNOX D’ARCY,
by his Attorney.
(Signed) ALFRED L. MARRIOTT.
Certifie que les signatures ci-dessus, etc., etc.,
(Signed) GEORGE GRAHAME,
Vice-Consul.
APPENDIX VI.
Extract from a letter from Sir Arthur Hardinge to Shaikh Khaz'al of Moham-
merah y dated Tehran, December 7th, 1902.
Translation.
* * I was very glad to hear from Haji Rais-ut-Tujjar of the satisfac
tory arrangement concluded between you and the Department of Customs.
On general grounds of policy it is very desirable that differences should as far
as possible be avoided between the Persian authorities and the Arab tribes
under your rule. The relations between the British and Persian Governments
are of a friendly character and the preservation of the integrity and in
dependence of the Persian Monarchy has for many years been one of the great
objects of British policy in this part of the world, disturbances of a nature to
imperil that object would be a serious evil and you would gain little and might
endanger much by throwing off the sovereignty of the Shah. I am convinced
that under the present circumstances the, Arabs and yourself as their ruler
have every interest in eultivating good and loyal relations with the Govern
ment of Tehran and that the latter has no desire to oppress you or curtail
your authority. For this reason I think you acted wisely in giving up the
idea of forcible resistance to the establishment of a customs house and in seek
ing rather to come, as I have from the first urged you to, to a friendly under
standing on this subject with the customs administration.
Haji Rais-ut-Tujjar has asked me on your behalf to what extent you
might rely on the protection of the British Government and I told him that so
long as you behaved to us in a friendly manner, our influence would be exerted
here to maintain you and your tribes in the enjoyment of your hereditary
rights and customs and to dissuade the Government of Tehran from any en
deavour to diminish or interfere with them. Haji Rais-ut-Tujjar thereupon
said that you were not afraid of the Persian Government itself or of attacks
by neighbouring tribes acting or pretending to act under its orders, but that
you wished to know whether we should protect you in the event of an attempt
by a foreign power to depose you or deprive your people of the rights which
they at present possess. This might happen in two ways : either such a power
might be at war with Persia and might as an enemy of the Shah send ships to
attack your district or such a power pretending to be the friend of the Persian
Government or to act in its behalf might attempt also by means of its
ships to conquer you and the Arabs. I replied that both contingencies were
extremely unlikely but if either were to arise we should, I believed, interfere
provided you had acted in accordance with our advice, and our fleet which is
the strongest of any in the Persian Gulf would be employed to prevent any
forcible measures against you. I added however that I would refer the ques
tion to the Foreign Minister of the British Government, and he has now