‏"ملخص الأحداث والتدابير الرئيسية التي اتخذها سمو نائب الملك اللورد كرزون من كيدلستون، نائب الملك والحاكم العام للهند في إدارة الخارجية. ‏I‏. يناير ١٨٩٩-أبريل ١٩٠٤. ‏II‏. ديسمبر ١٩٠٤-نوفمبر ١٩٠٥. المجلد IV. بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي." [و‎‎١‎٣‎٧] (٣٨٦/٢٧٨)

into an impregnable harbour: and even if the day is still distant when the banks
of the Khor Abdulla are likely to be armed with fore'gn forts or batteries, the
undivided occupation by a German Railway Company of a potentially
invulnerable position is not calculated to conduce to the enhancement either
of British commercial prosperity or of British political prestige. Supposing,
however, that w r e are able to make good Sheikh Mubarak s claims, we at
once place ourselves in a position to establish, at the north end of Bubiyau
Island, a post which would command not only the anchorage hut also the
approaches up the*Khor Abdulla, and we acquire the power to assert, in
such a manner as our paramount interests demand, our right to participate
in all arrangements relative to the pospeetive terminus of the Anatolian
Railway. An additional argument, if any is needed, in favour of strengthening
our position at Bubiyan may, perhaps, he found in the fact that the. Khor is
used as a place of refuge by pirates whom the Turkish Government is unable
to control and w T ho, as shown in the Administration Report of tho Persian
Gulf for 1902-03, commit piracies off Bubiyan.
G His M ajesty’s Government have never admitted the Turkish claim to
the island, and have, indeed, protested against the interference with the
status quo involved in tho placing of a post at A! Geit, where, prior to the
month of February 1902, the Turks had never pretended to exercise an
authority even of the most shadowy description, and where the total garrison
now consists of some 6 men. On the same occasion we were informed by
Lord George Hamilton* that the British
* Telegram of sth Apni K 02 . Government would resist a Turkish ad*
vanco on the Koweit side of Subbiyeh. This place is separated only by a
channel from the southern end of Bubiyan Island : and the claims of the
Sheikh to both positions seem to us to he of equal validity.
7 The proposal accordingly which we submit for your consideration is
that the Porte should now be informed that we are unable to recognise their
richt to maintain a station on Buhiyan, and should bo requested to withdraw
their troops ; while at the same time wc should establish a post on behalt ot
Sheikh Mubarak on the northern end of the island opposite to the southern
anchorage. The Sheikh has always urged his claims to this island, and
durin" the Viceroy’s visit to Koweit he repeatedly asked why the Turks were
not compelled to" evacuate both Bubiyan and L m Kasr which belonged to
him. He has several boats, and could easily with small support from us
ti revent Turkish troops from crossing the Khor Subbiyeh or channel between
Bubiyan and the Sand on the w°est. Should His Majesty’s Government
rlppm it advisable to spare the Sultans susceptibilities by the adoption of a
less nronouncedcourse^of action, we think it possible that our object might
be secured bv intimating that we regard Bubiyan Island as belonging to
the Sheikh and that, unless the Turkish force is withdrawn, we shall )
constrained to support him in establishing a post on the northern shore to
balance the Turkish posts at Urn Kasr and A1 Geit. In this ease the Tur
would probably retire, and the island would remam unoccupied. The Sheikh
would then resume possession, and it would only remain for us to carry out
hereafter such further measures as might be necessary for the maintenance
our legitimate interests.
Telegram, dated London, tlie 22nd Apiil 1901.
From— His Majesty’s Secretary of State for India,
To—His Excellency the Viceroy.
Bubiyan Island. I have caused your Toreign Secret letter, dated 4th Febru
ary 1901, to be communicated to His Majesty’s Ambassador, Constantinople.
Hfs view is that the claim by His Majesty’s Government that the island is the
property of the Sheikh of Koweit will be resented as strongly by the Porte now
as in 1902 and he points out that tho occupation of the post on the north of tho
island on behalf of the Sheikh would be contrary to the principle of maintaining