Mss Eur F126/40, ff 62-65

Folder entitled 'Guttur [Qatar] Sovereignty' enclosing letter No. 5147 of 1871 from William Wedderburn, Acting Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay to Charles Umpherston Aitchison, Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department regarding the question of the sovereignty of Guttur following British interference there in 1868 and the difficulties that recognition of the sovereignty would pose particularly if the Turkish Government succeeds in establishing a right to interfere in the affairs of Nejd.

The letter also references the arrangements made by Colonel Lewis Pelly in having the Guttur tribute to Bahrein paid through the Political Residency and that this was not intended to diminish Guttur's sovereignty but rather to secure their frontiers against the Naim and Wahabees [Wahhabi].

The letter concludes by requesting that Colonel Pelly submit his views as to the question of sovereignty over the Guttur territory.

Also enclosed is letter No.5148 of 1871 from H E Jacomb, for the Acting Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay Castle, 26 October 1871 reporting that a copy of the letter had been sent to the Political Resident Persian Gulf for information and guidance.