IOR/L/PS/20/C243

The volume, stamped ‘Confidential’ on the front cover, is part 1 (historical and political materials) of a précis of Qatar (spelt Katar throughout) affairs for the years 1873 to 1904. It was prepared by Judge Jerome Antony Saldanha of the Bombay Provincial Civil Service, and published in 1904 by the Government of India Foreign Department, Simla, India.

The main subjects of the précis, which is comprised chiefly of extracts from Government correspondence, run as follows:

• Turkish movements in Qatar, 1873; Chief of Bahrain (spelt Bahrein throughout) advised to keep aloof from complications in Qatar, 1873;
• British intervention refused to Chief of Debai [Dubai] in case robberies committed against vessels of his subjects on Qatar coast, 1873;
• Threatened attack on Bahrain and Qatar (Zobarah [Zubara]) by the Bedouin tribes of Beni Hajir, 1874;
• Complaints of Turkey about Chief of Bahrain’s encroachments in Qatar, 1874;
• The Beni Hajir attack Zubara and commit piracies, 1875;
• Aggressive policy of the Turks and establishment of a new Turkish province on the Arabian littoral of the Persian Gulf;
• Plunder of a Bahrain boat by the Beni Hajir and an excessive contribution levied by the Chief of Bidaa [Al-Bidda] on British Indian traders residing there;
• Claims preferred by the Government of Basrah [Basra] on behalf of the inhabitants of Qatar against certain residents of Bahrain, 1876;
• Alleged ill-treatment of British Indian subjects, 1879;
• Piracies at Zubara – destruction of Zubara by Shaikh Jasim [Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thānī], 1878;
• Ill-treatment of Indian traders, 1879;
• Question of suppression of piracies on the Arab coast. Claims of the Turks to Odeid [’Odaid] (1871-81); previous history of ’Odaid, 1837-76;
• History of ’Odaid continued, question of Turkish jurisdiction on the Qatar coast, and suppression of piracies, 1878-81;
• Removal of section of the Al-bu-Kowareh tribe from Al-Bidda to Foweyrat [Fujairat], 1879;
• Threatened attack on Bahrain by Nasir-bin-Mobarik [Nasir bin Mubarak] and Shaikh Jāsim of Al-Bidda, 1881;
• Shaikh Jāsim’s desire to occupy ’Odaid, 1881;
• Policy as to the relations to be maintained with Shaikh Jāsim and the Turkish Government in Qatar, 1881;
• Ill-treatment of British subjects by Shaikh Jāsim and exaction of a fine from him, 1880-82;
• Protest of the Porte against British proceedings at Al-Bidda. British disclaimer of Turkish jurisdiction in Qatar, 1883;
• Shaikh Jāsim’s projected expedition against a branch of the Beji Hajirs in 1884;
• Fight between the Ejman [Ajman] and allied tribes on one side and Morah and Monasir tribes on the other, 1884;
• Disputes between Shaikh Jāsim and the Chief of Abuthabi [Abu Dhabi], Jāsim’s intentions to occupy ’Odaid and the ill-treatment of Bedouins at Al-Bidda, 1885-86;
• Outrages against Indian subjects under Jāsim’s instigation, and Shaikh Jāsim made to pay a fine, 1887;
• Protests of the Porte against British Government proceedings, 1888;
• Question of withdrawal of the Turkish garrison from Al-Bidda;
• Turkish expansion along the Arab coast and the policy of the British Government, 1888;
• Hostilities between Shaikh Jāsim and Shaikh Zaid [Zayed bin Khalifa] of Abu Dhabi, reported movements of the Chief of Jabal Shamer Ibn Rashid towards Oman in order to aid Shaikh Jāsim, 1888-89;
• Jāsim carrying munitions of war by sea, 1889;
• Turkish project of rebuilding Zubara, 1888;
• Turkish measures for establishing their jurisdiction on a firmer basis on the Arab coast. Increase of Turkish forces in Qatar, 1888;
• Intrigues of Jāsim against Abu Dhabi, 1889-90;
• Turkish projects for rebuilding Zubara and ’Odaid, 1890-91;
• Hostilities between Shaikh Jāsim and the Turks, 1891-93;
• British policy towards Jāsim during the hostilities. Chief of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, 1893;
• Question of Turkish jurisdiction in Qatar, 1893;
• Removal by Turkish authorities of the British flag from a boat at Al-Bidda, 1897;
• Occupation of Zubara by the Al-bin-Ali tribe with the support of the Turks and Shaikh Jāsim. Threatened attack of Bahrain, and the energetic measures taken to expel the settlement, 1895;
• Arab rising against the Turks in Qatar;
• Disturbances off the Qatar coast between the Amamera and Al-bin-Ali tribes, 1900;
• Piracies committed by the Beni Hajir off the Qatar coast, 1900;
• Reconsideration of our general policy on the Arab side of the Gulf;
• (1) Proposed British protectorate over the Chief of Qatar; (2) Aggressive action of the Porte in attempted to establish mudirates at ’Odaid, Wakra and Zubara, 1902-04.

The appendices are as follows:

• A. Memorandum on the causes of the hostility between Shaikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi and Shaikh Jāsim;
• B. Extract from Captain Daly’s draft letter to the address of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, submitted for approval on 14 January 1901, relating to Qatar;
• C. Memorandum by Mr EC Block, dated 11 March 1903, about the Turkish claim over Qatar.