ملف رقم ١٥٠٨ لسنة ١٩٠٥، جزء ١ "البحرين: الوضع؛ الاضطرابات (١٩٠٤-١٩٠٥)؛ استسلام الشيخ علي؛ مسألة الإصلاحات الإدارية (الجمارك إلخ)" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٤] (٥٣١/٢١٢)

Confidential.]
No, 288, dated Bushire, the 18th (received 27th) June 1905.
From-MAJOR P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Offg. Political Resident in the Persi Gulf,
To—S. M. Fraser, Esq , C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of India in the
roreiga Department, Simla.
In continuation of previous correspondence ending with my letter No. 2so
dated iith June, I have the honour to submit, for the information of the Govern-’
* No. 194, dated Bahrein,
June.
9th (received 13th)
ment of India, a copy of a further communi
cation * which I have received from the
Political Agent at Bahrein.
It merely amplifies the information given in Captain Prideaux’s last letter
and does not seem to require any special comment from me.
No. 194, dated Bahrein, the 9th June 1905.
From— Captain F. B. Prideaux, oPlitical Agent, Bahrein,
To—The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire.
1 have the honour to refer to my letter No. 191, dated the 2nd June iqo<
with which I forwarded, by last mail, a translation of a letter from the Chief of
Bahrein on the subject of his imaginary grievances.
2. Apart from the matter of the inaccuracy about the “felling of the flag
staff, ” I have tried on two occasions—first on the morning of the 2nd June and
once again subsequently—to convince the Chief that the manner in which he
described his habit of rejecting such counsels of the Government of India as he
found unpleasing would be likely to cause grave displeasure to Government.
h ast mad steame stayed an unusually short time in this harbour and left
soon after mid day. I was unable therefore to write more on this subject before
the post closed.
3. I now beg to report that with a view to getting the indiscreet letter recon
sidered and if possible withdrawn, I worded my remonstrances in much stronger
terms than 1 have used before—stronger even than those which you adopted
under orders from Government—though I do not think that I in any way exceeded
the truth. J
4. I reminded the Sheikh that in 1867 his uncle Mahomed bin Khalifa broke
the terms of his agreement with Government, and in consequence the latter sent
an expedition to punish him. They conquered the Islands and drove Sheikh
Mahomed out. Subsequently, although they knew Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa
(Sheikh Esa’s father) to have also been in fault, they forgave him and made him
Chief of Bahrein. Two years later a rebellion broke out against Sheikh Ali
which resulted in the latter’s death, the flight of Sheikh Esa and the assumotinn
of the Chiefship by Mahomed bin Abdallah. ^
The Government of India again sent an expedition here, defeated the suc
cessful rebels, brought Sheikh Esa back from Katar and installed him in the
Chiefship. In 1873 Sheikh Esa offended the Government by his arbitrary con
duct, but subsequently made amends by apologizing and promising to consult
and follow the advice of the British representatives in difficult questions in future.
Since then the Government have efficiently protected Sheikh Esa from the
attacks of Nasir bin Mubarak and from interfering Turkish and Persian officials
Generally, Sheikh Esa’s attitude has been satisfactory, and when mistakes have
been made he has not failed to submit to Government’s orders. Recently how
ever two cases have occurred in which Sheikh Esa has forgotten that it is his
duty to accept the Resident’s advice. A British force was sent here to exact
compliance, and if he had shown resistance he would doubtless have been driven
from Bahrein. - ' ~ -—
He professed, however, to submit, and signed a written promise always in
future to follow the advice of Government. He also promised to use his best