ملف ٥٢٣٨\١٩١٩ "بلاد فارس:- المحمرة. إهداء أسلحة وسفن بخارية نهرية لشيخ المحمرة" [ظ‎‎١‎٧‎٧] (٤٥٠/٣٥٩)

4
r ■Rccr^ with whom they are in close touch, and with the distant
deration of Bin Sand, could (if given certain assurances) either prepare the way
for ohr peaceful occupation of Basra,, or, untd we were in a position to take effective
co-o
tor our peaceiui oo.u and
action, arrange ^^ 6 ^? of ^ ohammerah we should give the assurance already
, * i • connection with recent grant of decoration , undertaking to maintain
■ SmTir. mW possession of his d.t, g.rdess on th, Tnrtish side «,
(“rise" »nd perhaps a promise to do our best ..s«u, Persia to mamtam him in
his present state of local autonomy.
-r i 4 -kia fhp officiatino- Eesident submitted to the Government of
India onXlXseptember; 1914, the following draft of a special letter to the Sheikh
of Mohammerah, together with drafts of other notices (discussed in section (1) above),
to te despatched in the event of war between Great Britain and Turkey breaking
out (64214/14 : No. 1)
“ I am authorised by my Government, to request your Excellency to co-operate
with our honoured friends, their Excellencies the Amir of Nej an t e Sheikh of
Koweit, in the capture of Basra from the Turks ••••.,, n
“In return fbr this valuable co-operation, I am authorised by my Government
to assure your Excellency that in the event of our success-and succeed we shall,
insba Allah—Basra will never again be allowed to be subject to Turkish authority.
“ I am further to assure your Excellency personally, and do so by this writing,
that, whatever change may take place in the form of the Government of Persia,
and whether it be Royalist or Nationalist, His Majesty s Government will be
prepared to afford you the support necessary for obtaining a satisfactory solution
in the event of any encroachment by the Persian Government on your jurisdiction
and recognised rights, or on your property in Persia. These assurances given
for yourself and for your successors from among your male descendants, and snail
hold good so long as you and they do not fail to observe your and their ob igations
towards the Central Government (provided always that the nomination of your
successors from among your descendants shall be subject to confidential consultation
with and the approval of His Majesty’s Government), and so long as you and
they shall continue to be guided by the advice of His Majesty’s Government, and
to maintain an attitude satisfactory to that Government.
“Vis-d-vis the Persian Government, we shall do our best to maintain your
Excellency in your present state of local autonomy. ..
“ Further, your date gardens on the Turkish side of the Shatt-el-Arab sha
remain in full possession of you and your heirs, and for ever immune from
taxation.”
Cfto a ®” 1 ' 6
youthen
the Persian Gov
in jour present state
they
a fore
Jj jurisdiction
’’assurances are <
jedescenda 11 ) 8 ’ a '
•our and their
that the nonnnat
gibe subject toe
government, and
AmofHisMa,
the date gardens
jilab shall remain in ful
of the year 1
in the war on
remising Sheikl
sketched out by Sir
and the 14th No
in fact, occurred,
, up t(
A to the Sheikh of Mohan
i
This draft was approved by the Government of India on the 26th September, 19
(64214/14, No. 12 ), with the substitution of the words “ date gardens which you now
possess” for “ your date gardens ” in the last paragraph, and the omission of the words
“forever.”
In this emended form the letter was eventually delivered to the Sheikh on the
3rd November, 1914.
Later, after the occupationof Basra, Sheikh Khazal asked that the wording of the
letter should be revised again.
i©
' t°tk Sheikh of Ko
of vital interest
lwa y, as a German c
war, His ]
u pcu the seci
■ish Conven
^recognised as f
. n 8 ifumedi
'^Government i
foment; an,
^reoffiritis
Hsolono
“ These assurances, in the form originally sanctioned by Government, con
tained a reference to the co-operation expected from the Sheikh in the ev ^ n ^, °. ku 0 /
its being needed in connection with the capture of Basra. The Sheikh urged t a L jigust, 19 ^ q,
as occasion did not arise for the fulfilment of this obligation, it seemed somew a ,, mthe Persian (
inconvenient and superfluous for it to be mentioned in a communication w ic % (sip
would become an important permanent record; he therefore begged for a revise .
letter from which the passages relating to Basra should be omitted.”*
Accordingly Sir P. Cox, after obtaining the approval of the Viceroy, sen
following document to Sheikh Khazal, dating it 22 rd November, 1914, being the a
on which Basra was occupied by the British forces :—
1439/
lent
sfc 1 »it«i
“ With reference to the assurances conveyed to your Excellency in my lette
dated the 15th October, 1910 (= 11 th Shawwal, 1328), and having regard to
further valued services and co-operation which your Excellency has ren ere
• Letter, dated Basra, 1st April, 1915, from Sir P. Cox to Government of India, in 62555/15-
^*t 2 f thi8
%
^hic
lielih
‘‘C'Vwi