'File No. E/1. Hindu Merchants at Qatif'

Title:

'File No. E/1. Hindu Merchants at Qatif'

Date:

1900/1913

Description:

This file contains correspondence between the British Assistant Political Agent, and later the British Political Agent, at Bahrain and the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire, as well as with British officials in Constantinople, Basra and India. There is also correspondence with Ottoman officials, including Sayyid Tālib Pasha, mutasarrıf of al-Ḥasā’, and various Hindu merchants, including Tekchand Dwarkadas, Thawerdas Janimal and Seth Chatamal Tarachand.The file concerns the status and mistreatment of Hindu merchants ( bunniahs) resident in and trading with al-Qaṭīf, dating back to 1900. In a letter dated 2 August 1903, John Calcott Gaskin, Assistant Political Agent at Bahrain, gives a detailed report concerning commercial operations between Bahrain and al-Qaṭīf and the status of Hindu merchants trading in dried dates with complaints being made against the customs farmer (folios 24-27). In a further piece of correspondence dated 9 April 1904, it is claimed that Hindu merchants are descriminated against and made to pay 12% duty by the customs farmer at al-Qaṭīf (folios 43-44).Similar incidents are reported in subsequent years. Also in 1904 there are enquiries by various Hindu merchants about opening businesses in al-Qatif and the possibility of British protection, including a petition by the principal Hindu merchants of Bahrain (folios 51-53). There is further correspondence in 1905 and 1906 with representations to Sayyid Tālib Pasha (folios 66-69), and the Sublime Porte to resolve the situation (folios 84-85).Also included within the file are copies of Tekchand Dwarkadas's accounts (folios 128-149); a report on the status of Hindu merchants trading with al-Qaṭīf (folios 178-180); a report concerning the absence of Hindu merchants in al-Hafūf, al-‘Uqayr, Najd, and Qatar (folios 182-183); the opening of a shop at al-Qaṭīf by Seth Chatamal Tarachand of Messrs Gangaram Tikamdas & Co. in 1910 (folios 184-193); and the situation of Hindu merchants at al-Qaṭīf after Eastern Arabia had been taken by ‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd) in 1912 (folios 194-195).1 volume (211 folios)This file is arranged approximately in chronological order.Foliation: This file has a foliation number in the top right hand corner. The number is enclosed by a circle, running from the first folio of text and ending at the back cover. Attached to folio 40 is an envelope which contains folios 40A to 40F. Foliation skips from 115 to 117.Condition: Folios 35 and 36 are damaged on the right hand margin with Arabic text missing.

Language:

English
Arabic
French

Type:

Archival file

Type (Narrower):

Other Texts

Type (Broader):

Text

Extent:

1 volume (211 folios)

Rights:

Public Domain
Unknown
Open Government Licence

Identifier:

81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0002f7_ar
81055/vdc_100000000193.0x0002f7_en
IOR/R/15/2/24

Is part of:

British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers

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