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'File 9/4 Bahrain Reforms. Introduction of Reforms in Bahrain' [‎11v] (39/224)

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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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22
i
make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness— this phrase is perhaps
inappropriate as the Akhwan consider themselves highly righteous— and be on the
safe side. It will be seen that Bin Sa'ud appears to have told the Dowasir Shaikhs
that he would either {a) use his influence to support them in the event of their
deciding to resist taxation or (b) give them suitable habitat so that they could
threaten to leave Bahrain, and do so if necessary.
3. It may not be out of place to mention that this threat of leaving Bahrain
is an old plank in the Dowasir platform which they have used with success for years
before Bin Sa'ud came to the front. I well remember telling Shr.ikh Isa when
I was at Bahrain that such threats were all bluff and that they would never quit
the valuable lands and houses they have in Bahrain, but that, if by any chance
they were foolish enough to do so, he could easily get other people to occupv the
lands and villages. But Shaikh Isa in addition to being very obstinate is exceed
ingly pusillanimous and timid and has always feared the Dowasir and allowed
them to bounce him. By threats of this sort they obtained the discontinuance
of the small diving tax mentioned 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. .
4. It will be seen that 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. points out that there will be a great
difference if the reforms are introduced voluntarily by the Shaikh or under
pressure by us. In the latter case, as Major Daly says, everything will be the
subject of great criticism, and we should have to be very careful to make certain
that any reform we suggest would effectively remove the cause for grievance
Major Daly accordingly asks for time to study the present state of taxation and
the nature and effect of 'improvements which could be introduced. He suggests
at he could go mto the matter with less chance of causing a stir at the conclusion
of the pearling season I agree with him on both these points, and beg to suggest
that I may be allowed to defer the submission of reasoned proposals for reforms
until the autumn after Major Daly has had time to study the present system
1 Tfd S system) and incidence of taxation, and go into the question of justice
between Sunnis and Shiahs at the conclusion of the pearling season.
and l Oll0pe the Go y ernment of India will concur with this view
fhp ] A submission of reasoned proposals to be deferred. This letter, like
e 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. s, has had to be written hurriedly to catch the mail so I trust
any deficiencies will be excused.
Copy forwarded to His Excellency the High Commissioner for Inq.
Enclosure to Serial No. 29.
No. 111-C., dated Bahrain, the 13th July 1922.
From -major C. K. Daly , LA., 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,
To—The Hon'ble 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.
Subject -.—Bahrain Affairs..
In reply to your telegram No. 1218, I beg to report as follows :
A % alr ® ad 5 sported the Shaikh of the Dowasir together with one Ahmpd -il
tiahej the headmen of another small Sunni tribe and a notorious iXi^!
me ago visited Ibn Sa ud. It is of course not possible to be certain of^vW
place, but Shaikh Hamad bin Easa told me in confidence what he had Wnt ^
I abo heard from another well informed source. It would appear that ^ 1
offered to assist them to resist any efforts of the Bahrain Rulers to Hx fh ^
to bring them under their effective control. He is said to Wo L • 1 ^ em ' cr
natives —(1) to use his influence to support them should they resis^the R, ? alter '
i they preferred (2) provide them with a suitable habitat in order that ^
threaten to leave Bahrain, and in fact, do so if necessary. 7
Tww : T Th0 " 8h
recognize Shaikh Hamad as his definite successor." It is beiieved t^Uhev ^
ed some hopes of gettmg control of the ilands into their own hands'L The

About this item

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' [‎11v] (39/224), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/131, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023403812.0x000028> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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