'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Bahrein [Bahrain] Affairs, 1854-1904' [‎5] (24/204)

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23. The following year the Wahabi Amir Feysal created trouble, but towards
the end of July 1851 a peace was concluded through Sheikh Syud bin Tahanoon,
and the fort at A! Bidaa was handed back to Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa, a younger
brother of the Chief, who was to pay an annual tribute to the Amir.
24. This peace, however, was not enjoyed for any length of time. In 1852
the Wahabi Amir placed the surviving sons of Abdullah bin Ahmed at Damaum,
opposite Bahrein and a few miles below Katif, at which Mahomed bin
Khalifa was much annoyed and bitterly complained against Amir Feysal to 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. and threatened the Amir that he would stop paying the
tribute unless he removed the sons of the Chief from Damaum. Sheikh
Ali, however, by force of argument, persuade'd his brother to pay the instalment
of the tribute which was then due. Thus was judiciously cleared for a time the
storm that was gathering over Bahrein.
24A. Meanwhile the Bombay Government had asked the Government of India
for instructions as to the action to be taken in case the Wahabi ruler should
make an attack on Bahrein, and had fortified themselves with their authority
" to offer every obstacle to an attack upon that island by the Wahati Chief, on
the ground that, Her Majesty's Government would not admit the occupation of
Bahrein by the Turkish Government or any one acting for it or in its interest
{Foreign Department letter No. 777, dated 10th May
Chapter II.-»-Mahomed bin Abdullah bin Ahmed's threatened attack
against Bahrein and piracies, (2) His expulsion from Damaum, 1859.
25. The calm lasted only for a short time. Notwithstanding repeated
warnings from the Resident (Captain Felix
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. 's lettcr^Q. 411, dated iQih Jones) and solemn assurances of pacific
October 1859^5^. in Bombay Political Depart- . . - _ . 1 * _
ment, Volume 106-A. of i860. intentions irom the reysal, m defiance
even of the presence of a British corvette,
extensive preparations for the invasion of Bahrein were made at Katif and Da
maum, including the piratical seizure of some Turkish and Persian vessels and the
impressment of their crews for service in the projected expedition. Hereupon
Commodore Balfour was despatched with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Squadron to the scene
of action, and the very threatening attitude assumed by this officer soon induced
the Wahabi Governor of Katif to abandon his designs, and humbly sue for
pardon. In reporting the Commodore's success, the Resident expressed an
opinion that we had borne too long with Feysal, who, while giving us fair words,
still falsified all he said by steadily pursuing his fixed object of universal
dominion along the coast. He recommended direct reprisals upon the ports from
which the recent piracies had been effected the pirates ", he added, 44 of the
Eastern Archipelago, of Tunis, Algiers, of Riff, and Salee have all had their
visitation, and no humane Government has ever questioned the legality of such
reprisals" There was some correspondence on this occasion between Feysal
and the Resident. Feysal, after justifying his proceedings on the ground that the
Sheikh of Bahrein was one of his own feudatories, whom for his various misdeeds
he had a perfect right to chastise, protested against British interference in the
following terms:—"Between the Wahabi Amir and the British Government
Treaties have been made by the several authorities, authority after authority ;
and, in accordance with treaties between the Wahabi Amir and the Sultan Abdul
Mejid, there are matters which every one is precluded from meddling with,
unless on special grounds." To this the Resident replied by declaring that the
British Government recognised Bahrein as an independent Chiefship, and was
prepared to oppose all foreign agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , including that of His Highness the Amir,
by every means in its power; he also pointed out the inconsistency of Feysal.
claiming to be dependent upon Turkey at the same time that Feysal's
Lieutenant at Katif was committing piracy on vessels bearing the Turkish flag.
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