File 4535/1928 Pt 8 ‘ – PERSIAN GULF – QUESTION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTORATES OVER KOWEIT, BAHREIN, MUSCAT, TRUCIAL COAST.’ [‎72v] (138/194)

M.S. Report, }>ara. 12.
See discn. on 1’. 1787/23
and P.1878/23.
* Sir 1). Pray to Mr.
Wakely, D.O. 195(5 E.A.,
July 21 1921, P. 3588/21.
Tel. from Viceroy, July 0
1912, P. 2632/12*.
t Letter from Pol. Res. to
G. of T.. P. 8014, Nov. 25
1911, P. 2062/11 ; letter
from Pol. Res. to G. of I.,
3011, Nov. 25 1911,
P. 50/12.
t F.O. to 1.0., Oct. IS 1909,
P. 4118/0:1; G. of I.Desp.to
S. of S., 116. Nov. 14 1912,
P. 4582/12 ; letter from
Pol. Res. to G. of I. 1348.
May 10 1914. P. 2408/14.
§ Letter from Pol. Res. to
G. of I.. 1518. May 251 1914.
P. 2509/14.
Letter from Pol. Res. to
G. of I.. 1518, Mav 23 111]4,
P. 2509/14.
|| Cp. letter from Pol. Res.
to G. of I., 779, Mar. 18
190S, P. 1840/08.
** Major Daly’s Report,
Nov. 1921, P. *900/22.
P. 4624/19.
5. The effect of the recommendations of the Masterton-Smith Committee
of 1921 was to leave control of Bahrein affairs, other than matters of policy
affecting relations with Ibn Sand, which were reserved to the Colonial Office,
to the Government of India, subject to the general control of His Majesty’s*
Government, and to the prior concurrence of the Colonial Office in matters^
‘‘political significance.” The question of the channels through which the
instructions of His Majesty’s Government on matters affecting the Islands
issue is dealt with in paras. 4 and 5 of the Note on Political Control in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , p.
6. Expenditure on Bahrein in respect of the suppression of the slave
trade (Rs. i. u and of sanitary arrangements (Rs. 1,200 in
1919-20) is divided equally between the Government of India and the
Foreign Office. All other expenditure, on the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). presents, &c
(amounting in 1919-20 to Rs. 79,304) is borne wholly by the Government of
India.*
B.—Internal History of Bahrein (including relations with His Majesty’s
Government), 1908-1928.
7. I he internal history of Bahrein falls into two periods: the first from
1908 to the deposition of Sheikh Isa in 1923, the second from 1923 to the
present day.
(1) 1908-1923 : Sheikh Isa.
8. Little of importance occurred between 1908 and 1919. In 1909 a
formal request in writing that he should be relieved by His Majesty’s
Government of the responsibility of exercising jurisdiction over foreigners
in his country was obtained by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. from the Sheikh
(P.1314/09). His Excellency explained in 1912 that by “ foreigners ” he
had not intended the dependants of petty Arab potentates in the Gulf, a
contention which was accepted by His Majesty’s Government in 1919, but
which, in view of the attitude of the Arab chiefs affected, it proved
impossible, as explained below, to continue to entertain. The Order in
Council approved by the King in 1913, the introduction of which was
postponed till 1919, limited the jurisdiction of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. to
“foreigners with respect to whom the Sheikh has agreed with His Majesty
lor, or consented to, the exercise of jurisdiction by His Majesty.” Certain
minor administrative improvements were effected bv the Sheikh from time to
time under strong pressure from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ; in 1911 His Excellency
agreed not to allow any foreign Power to open a Post Office in Bahrein and not
to grant a pearl fishing concession to foreigners!; a wireless station was erected
in 1912; with great difficulty the Sheikh was persuaded between 1912 and
1914 to remedy the grievances of traders in regard to landing arrange
ments and the handling and storage of cargo at Bahreinf ; after some
discussion lie ngieed in 1914^ not to sccircli for oil himself or ££ive others
permission to do so without consulting the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and receiving
the approval of the Government of India (subsequent developments as
regards oil concessions in Bahrein are dealt with in para. 19 below);
responsibility for the quarantine duties, which had caused some difficulty
m the past,Ij was taken over in 1916 by the Government of India; the
attitude of the Sheikh and his sons during the war was correct. ' But
the position as between the ruling family and their subjects steadily
deter 101 ated ; administration lapsed until it could be reported in 19*' ) 2 as
‘‘far behind the times in comparison with other Arab States” the
“bigoted incapacity” of the Sheikh (to quote the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in 1911)
the corruption or weakness of members of his family, and the succession
of tyrannical acts perpetrated by the Sheikh, his wife and his sons, not only
gave rise to increasing popular discontent, but, since the Political Ao e nt
was not in a position to intervene effectively (the energies of His Majesty’s
Government and the Government of India being elsewhere engaged) reacted
unfavourably on our position in the Islands. '
9. In 1919 Sheikh Abdulla, the Sueikh s youngest son, visited England
u l K? ar f? ° T f Ca P t - N - N - fc- to convey to His Majesty the congratulations
ot bneikn Jsa on the successful outcome of the war, and was received bv the