'File 19/12 Bahrain, Precis of Zobara Affairs in 1895' [‎97v] (202/230)

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I have accordingly the honour to enclose a letter under flying seal Letters which could be freely opened before reaching their destination. , address
ed to Shaikh Sultan, conveying the orders of Government, and to request the
favour of your proceeding with the vessel under your command to Zobarah and
causing the letter to he delivered to Shaikh Sultan in such manner as you may
judge most expedient. You will see that Shaikh Sultan is clearly earned that
in the event of his hesitation to comply with the requisition now made upon
him, measures to enforce it will no longer be delayed. I have therefore to
request that should Shaikh Sultan's reception of the orders and warning now
addressed to him not be fully satisfactory, you will, after giving him such time
as in your judgment may, in the circumstances, be reasonable, proceed to seize
such boats belonging to him and to his tribe the Albin-Ali, as you may be in
a position to capture, in order to enforce submission to the orders of Govern
ment.
I would also request the favour of your receiving on board your ship Mr.
Gaskin, an Assistant of this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , who will be able to assist you with much
important local information and in your communications with Shaikh Sultan
and any others with whom you have to deal. Mr. Gaskin will also, I hope,
prove most valuable in forwarding a reconciliation between the Bahrein Chief
and Shaikh Sultan, should the latter happily be so well advised as to seek it,
as he has been urged to do.
I append a memorandum on minor points which I would ask you to be
good enough to make available to Mr. Gaskin also, for his guidance on such
points as may more especially concern his action.
No more recent information has been obtained than that acquired by your
visit to the place some fifteen days ago ; it is possible therefore that the posi
tion may have materially changed. Should such prove to be the case, and the
change be such as to give hopes that the object of Government to prevent the
settlement at Zobarah is in train to be secured, I would request you to use your
discretion in dealing with Shaikh Sultan under the instructions of Government
above indicated and to favor me w T ith earliest information of the facts.
Memo, dated Busliire, the 5th July 1895.
From— C olonel F. A. W ilson , 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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
It would he very satisfactory that Shaikh Sultan should be summoned on
board to receive the letter conveying the orders and warning which Govern
ment has directed should be given to him and the communication which
Captain Pelly may have to make to him. Very possibly, however, the Shaikh
may, owing to pressure from Shaikh Jasim, or even local Turkish authority, be
in a position to render his compliance with such a summons difficult. In such
case it would be inadvisable to summon him on board.
The Porte has received a warning from Her Majesty's Government in connec
tion with its interference at Zobarah, and this warning should by this time have
effect on the action of its representatives near that place; it is desirable however
that Turkish connection with the situation should, as far as possible, be ignored.
Should the seizure of boats become necessary, the course that seems most
convenient would be to make them over to the Chief of Bahrein, pending the
further orders of Government.
The Bahrein Chief w r ill doubtless be able to afford means for identifying
the boats belonging to the Albin-Ali tribe, against which it may be necessary
to act. He may also be expected to give all the assistance in his power to
convey to Bahrein any of the tribe who may be willing to return, should their
own boat-transport be insufficient.
The Chief has already expressed his readiness to show all possible indul
gence to Shaikh Sultan and his followers, and should a disposition to submit
be evinced, Mr. Gaskin should impress upon the Chief the necessity for facili
tating, by any means of conciliation that may be fitting and reasonable, an
amicable solution of the existing difficulty.