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'File 9/4 Bahrain Reforms. Introduction of Reforms in Bahrain' [‎6r] (28/224)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (98 folios). It was created in 30 Dec 1921-27 Jul 1924. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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11
Women are eompelled. to bring a contribution of lucerns from their husband's
nelds tor this Shaik s animals. Several women have been detained for immoral
purposes by his sons.
2° One month ago a young camel which had strayed from the Shaik's flock was
found dead outside a village. There were no grounds for supposing foul play but
a fine of Es. 500 has been imposed on the village. Failing this, every man in the
village must go to take an oath that he did not kill it. This will entail the loss
ir~r f a wllole da y to severa l hundred persons. The oath could equally well be taken
^ in Manamehj but^point has not been conceded to them. The case has not yet
been settled by the ruler.
21. Shaik Abdulla sent for the daughter of one All Basri. ITer parents refused,
to send her. Abdulla's mother, who has recently assumed the title of Queen
of Bahrain, ordered the mother to send the girl at once or leave Bahrain. The
girl was subsequently induced to marry one of Shaik Abdulla's servants but has
been put in one of Shaik Abdulla's houses and is kept as a mistress.
22. Some men grazing camels belonging to the ruler's wife, recently seized a
small boy outside a village and committed unnatural offences. The villagers pro
tested and said they would complain to the '' Queen ''. When they did so, that
lady imprisoned about 12 of the leaders and detained Ih^m in prison. She refused
to send the case to the Qadhi and subsequently released them after pavment of
Rs. 250.
23. A Bahrain recently gave up the lease of one of the Shaik's gardens because
they raised the rent before his existing agreement had expired. He then took
another garden belonging to a subject of Qatif. A perfectly false charge was
made against him (he was not himself informed of any charge, but one was
formulated after his release) and he was imprisoned one month, fined Rs. 500 and
forbidden to work for the Qatif subject. In other words, he would be forced to again
take the Shaik's garden at the enhanced rate.
24. Forced labour, forced contributions of fowls, eggs, etc., and the comman
deering of boats, animals for transport, etc., are of daily occurrence. Commandeer
ing of transport, and forced labour, both known as '' Sakhra'' was originally a
privilege of the ruler. It is now practised by every cadet of the family and by
their satellites, amounting in all to some hundred and fifty persons, and is a great
hardship for the inhabitants.
The conditions under which prisoners are confined are excessively bad.
C. K. DALY,
Major I.A.,
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. , Bahrain,
Serial No. 4.
Telegram P., No. 107, dated the 15th (received the 16th) January 1922.
From—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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Bushire.
Tyranny of Shaik of Bahrain and family referred to in correspondence ending
with my letter, dated 6th instant, 24-S.
Shaik Isa is reported by 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 be nervous and shows signs of
desiring to improve matters but Shaik Abdulla is growing more active. Members
of Shaik's family moreover have begun persecuting individual referred to in fourth
paragraph of my letter, dated December 30th, 495-S. and as case sixteen in
paragraph No. 2 of my letter 24-S. who applied to me on the 12th December
for protection.
I trust that in the circumstances Government will be pleased to issue by
telegram early orders as to what action should be taken to alleviate present state
of affairs. Matter is urgent.

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Content

The volume contains printed copies of Government of India confidential correspondence, relating to the Bahrain reforms. The majority of the letters contained in volume are printed copies of correspondence originally sent to the Government of India either by 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 the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Trevor or Acting Resident Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart Knox), or 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. at Bahrain (Major Clive Daly). Much of the correspondence featured in the volume can be found in the original (or as office copies) in a number of files in the two Bahrain Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. subsubseries ‘File 9 Bahrain Reforms’ (IOR/R/15/2/127-138) and ‘File 8 Miscellaneous’ (IOR/R/15/2/121-126), and the Bushire 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. subsubseries ‘File 19 Bahrain’ (IOR/R/15/1/314-77).

The printed correspondence contained in the volume covers a range of subjects:

  • Events leading up to the programme of reforms carried out in Bahrain: allegations of the oppression of Bahraini subjects by members of the Āl Khalīfah family, violence, the deteriorating economic situation;
  • The reforms proposed and implemented by British officials: replacement of Shaikh ‘Īsá by Shaikh Ḥamad as defacto ruler, economic reforms, judicial reforms, pearl diving industry reforms, customs house reforms;
  • Specific incidents of violence involving Sunnis and Shias, or Najdis and Persians.

Some of the papers in the volume are accompanied by duplicate copies:

  • Folios 61-64 are duplicates of folios 57-60;
  • Folios 68-69 are duplicates of folios 66-67;
  • Folios 81-84 are duplicates of folios 77-80.
Extent and format
1 volume (98 folios)
Arrangement

The volume's contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, starting with the earliest items at the front and finishing with the latest items at the end.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The volume is foliated from the front cover to the inside back cover, using uncircled pencil numbers in the top-right corner of each recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. . Most of the items in the volume are printed items that have their own internal pagination systems, using printed numbers in the top-right corners of recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. pages and the top-left corners of verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. pages, or centred at the top of both verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. and recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. pages. The following foliation anomalies occur: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f.

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English in Latin script
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'File 9/4 Bahrain Reforms. Introduction of Reforms in Bahrain' [‎6r] (28/224), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/131, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023403812.0x00001d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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