"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٧] (٦١٦/٢٩٨)

and the maskat political agency for the year 1907-190&.
101
50 per cent, of the monies due to fUem, and this too only when the pearls have
been actually sold and paid for. The price of fearls at the present day is said
to have fallen approximately to the rates which existed 10 years ago.
In September 1907 a short-lived estrangement arose between Sheikh
Abdallah-bin-Jasim and his cousins, the sons of the late Governor of Doha
Ahmad, but this was quickly overcome by Sheikh Jasim who went personally
to Doha for the purpose of settling it.
In December 1907 some friction also oecurred at "Wakra between the
A1 bu'Ainain tribe and Sheikh Abdur Eahman-bin-Jasim, the Governor of the
town, in consequence of the latter's inconsiderate attempt to enforce the pay
ment of the boat tax at an inconvenient time against a notable of the tribe by
imprisoning him. The latter's son attempted to shoot the Shaikh, but was frus
trated by his mother, after which he was arrested and imprisoned in place of his
father. The trouble was satisfactorily allayed by Shaikh Jasim^ who interceded
for the offender and procured his forgiveness and release in return for the
payment of the tax.
Sheikh Abdallah-bin-Jasim A1 Thani arrived in Bahrein on the 3rd April
1907 en route for Bombay to investigate personally on his father's behalf the
state of the pearl market. He put up in the town of Manama a number of
days, and also stayed with Sheikh Esa and seme of the minor Sheikhs of the
A1 Khalifa family as their guest for short periods. Having exchanged
visits with the Political Agent, he was furnished with letters of introduction
to the Government and Customs authorities in Bombay and permission was
obtained for his party to continue wearing and carrying their arms while in
India.
The Sheikh left for Bombay on the 13th April and returned on the 29th
July to Manama, whence he proceeded immediately to his home at Doha, having
failed to sell any of his own or his father's pearls.
In June 1907 Shaikh Jasim-bin-Thani inaugurated the maintenance of a
custom house in Doha under the management of one of his slaves, with an
Arab acting as Treasurer. The stated reason for the innovation was the deficit
in the Bin Thanis' income caused by the depreciation of pearls. The people
of Katar have hitherto been much opposed to a step of this nature and the attempt
of the Turkish Government to establish a custom house at Doha in 1890 was
successfully resisted. Their quiet acquiescence now is doubtless attributable
to their sympathy for the Shaikh's pecuniary misfortunes.
In January 1908, Sheikh .Jasim-bin-Thani, who possesses the common Arab
proclivity for interfering in other people's affairs and who had been unsuccess
fully appealing to the Turkish authorities of Hasa to settle a blood-feud
between two large factions of the towns people of 'Ayun, named the A1 Awda
and A1 Mubanna, in a certain manner, convened a meeting of the Bani Hajir
and Manasif headaien at Lusail to discuss the feasibility of assisting the
A1 Awda by force of arms. The project of course was not a serious one,
but it was intended by the movemem to impress the Turks with the necessity
for some sort of action. A deputation of A1 Awda had also called on the
Political Agent in Bahrein the preceding May, but had received no encourage
ment as regards British intervention,
H asa, K atip and the adjacent tpibal territories.
The affairs of the Hasa and Katif Oases and the relations between the
settled populations and the surrounding Bedouin have been unsettled through
out the year. Caravans on the road between Ojair and Hofuf were attacked in
October and November 1907, and in March 1908 by Ajman and Manasir
tribesmen, and an affray occurred in September in the outer harbour of Katif
between Saihat boatmen and Bani Hajir Bedouin, when the latter were accused
of an attempt at piracy.
The townspeople of Mubarraz supporting S^'dun Pasha, were at log
gerheads with the Turkish officials in January 1908, although Sad'un had
been up to Basrah in the previous April, to make his peace with the ^ ali.
In the last fracas, the Turks were able to gain a qualified victory, destroying