Correspondence related to the distribution of the text of the General Act of the Brussels Conference of 1890 throughout the Persian Gulf region. The English version of the Act is on folios 32-37. William Lee-Warner, Secretary to the Government of India in Bombay, sent Adelbert Talbot (Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, 1891-93) 100 copies of the Act in Persian (folios 5-19), and 100 in Arabic, for distribution to the Political Agencies on the Persian and Arab coasts of the Gulf respectively. Talbot sent 25 copies of the Persian translation of the Act to his Political Agent in Bandar-e Lengeh, and a further 25 copies to the Agent of the British India Steam Navigation Co. (Gray Paul & Co.) at Bandar-e Abbas. The Governor of Turkish Arabistan, Nizam-es-Sultaneh was critical of the distributed Persian translation of the Act, which had been produced under the authority of British Government staff in Bombay. In response Talbot commissioned and distributed a new translation (folios 73-88), produced under his authority at the Political Residency in Bushire.1 volume (137 folios)The contents of the volume have been arranged chronologically, with the earliest documents at the front, and the latest at the rear.Foliation: The volume has been foliated with small circled numbers in the top right corner of each front-facing page. The front cover has been foliated 1, then there are two unfoliated pages, before foliation restarts at 2 on the title sheet. After the title sheet and contents page (folio 4) there are a further three unfoliated blank pages before foliation restarts on the first piece of correspondence.). Folio 100 is missing.
The volume is entitled
List Showing the Names, Titles and Modes of Address of the More Important Sovereigns, Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles etc., Having Relations with the Indian Government, Alqabnamah(New Delhi: Government of India Press, 1935). [The Alqabnamah was a register kept by the Indian Government, recording official titles and modes of address.] It is described on the front cover as 'Corrected up to the 5th October 1935'. The volume shows a number of manuscript corrections, additions and cross-references.The volume is divided into lists of independent states, protectorate rulers, ruling princes and chiefs in India, and miscellaneous. Within these divisions information is recorded in parallel columns under the following headings:name of state;name and [form] of address of ruler in English;commencement and conclusion of letter in English, and colour of crest;highest British authority by whom hitherto addressed;name and [form] of address in Persian or Arabic;number of guns [in official salute];remarks.1 volume (71 folios)There is a list of contents and an alphabetical index towards the front of the volume, on folios 3-5.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1A on the front cover and terminates at 71 on the back cover. These numbers are written in pencil. are enclosed in a circle, and appear in the top right hand corner of the recto page of each folio. Foliation anomalies: ff. 1A, 1B; ff. 10A, 10B. Folio 64 has been attached to the outer edge of f. 63.
This file contains correspondence - primarily between the Political Agency in Bahrain and the Political Residency in Bushire - regarding the relations of Bahrain (and its ruler Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa) with other foreign powers.Topics discussed in the documents include communication between Shaikh Isa and the Ottoman governor of Qateef, rumours that Shaikh Isa had declared himself a subject of Turkey, correspondence regarding Persian claims to Bahrain and concerns of the Persian government regarding the treatment of Persian citizens resident in Bahrain, the activities of a cousin of Shaikh Isa named Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa who travelled without permission to Istanbul and correspondence between Shaikh Isa and the Ottoman governor of Basra.The file also contains copies (and translations) of anti-British articles published in Iranian newspapers and letters between Shaikh Isa and Ottoman officials.1 volume (195 folios)The file is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end. An index of subjects contained in the file is listed on folio 3. The index uses page numbers that refer to the file's foliation system in blue crayon.Previously a bound volume, its sheets have been unbound and are now all loose. Foliation starts on first page of volume. Foliation is in pencil in top right corner of recto. Additional foliation sequences in red and blue crayon are also present in the top right corner. The following foliation errors occur: 1,1A; 110,110A; 173,173A.
This file contains correspondence concerning relations between Bahrain and other foreign powers, primarily Persia.The correspondence discusses the following topics:Agitation in the Persian press regarding the alleged oppression of Persians in Bahrain. This includes examples of this type of reporting, including a cutting from the Persian newspaper Asar Azadi (f. 229b & 229c).The Persian Government's claim to sovereignty over Bahrain (this includes correspondence between British and Persian officials, some of which is in French).Details regarding British jurisdiction over foreigners in Bahrain.The political agitation of a Persian tally clerk (named Abu Talib) at the Mesopotamia Persian Corporation Limited in Bahrain.The activities of Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and his son Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa.Measures to restrict the entry of undesriable foreigners into Bahrain.The file also includes two petitions (to the British Consulate General in Arabistan) from Bahrainis resident in Muhammarah concerning the conduct of the Persian Government and a cutting entitled 'Alleged British Repression in Bahrain' from a newspaper published in Lahore called 'The Muslim Outlook' (f.197).1 volume (243 folios)File is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.A bound correspondence volume. Foliation starts with the first folio and runs to the last folio. Folio 1 is split into four parts (1, 1A, 1B and 1C), folio 157 into two parts (157A and 157B), folio 206 into two parts (206A and 206B) and 229 into three parts (229A, 229B and 229C). The foliation is written in pencil, circled and positioned in the top right hand corner of the recto side (with the exception of 229B and 229C) which are numbered on the top left hand side in arabic language fashion).A secondary foliation system, also written in pencil but not circled, starts on folio 3. This system skips folios and sometimes labels a single folio as multpile folios, so it moves in and out of sync with the primary system.Folios 229B and 229C are a newsprint insert contained within an envelope which has been attached to folio 229A.
File contains correspondence regarding the access requirements of Persians entering Bahrain (from Persia), correspondence regarding reports of Bahrainis resident in Persia being pressured to adopt Persian nationality and several discussions related to the logistics and legality of travel in the region.The broader political context of these issues, complicated by Persia’s continued claim to sovereignty over Bahrain, is discussed in detail in the file.1 volume (298 folios)Arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of file to latest at end. There is an index page by topic on folio 2. The numbers in the index appear to refer to the inconsistent, uncircled foliation system.Originally a bound correspondence file but sheets have been unbound and are now all loose. The volume is foliated from the first page with text to last page with text, with small circled numbers in the top-right corner of each front-facing page. There is an inconsistent, uncircled, foliation system also in the top-right corner of each front-facing page until folio 120.