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'File 9/4 Bahrain Reforms. Introduction of Reforms in Bahrain' [‎52v] (121/224)

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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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82
officer. My reason for suggesting tte Bombay GoverhWent is that 1 happen to be
previously acquainted with Mr. W atkins, the Assistant Collector of Customs, Bom-
bay whose experience of Mesopotamia -even if his own services are too valuable to
be spared -tfould enable him I am sure to advise in the selection of the right mau
for the work in Bahrein and Kuwait.
IXI—G overnment O fe'ices.
4- 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. 's proposals under this head require little comment.
If, as I hope, they will sSbstantially reduce the power of the iniquitous Fidawi, they
will command general approval.
XV—Survey of Bahrein Islands and Iown. .
^ These proposals are perhaps a little premature, and mi|iit properly follow-
later after the successful introduction of the more important preliminary measures
already discussed. If the Government of India agree in principle I shall be in
a position to approach the Iraq Government at the proper time with a view to secur-
hia the loan of an experienced revenue officer and staff for the purpose.
6 So much for the details of the preliminary plan of campa.gn As to their •
eeneral effect, they clearly lay themselves open to the comment that their tendency
I to hitrodnce straightway into the administration of Bahrem a jreponderatmg
British^ element. It cannot be denied that this is so. With a British State Bank,
f British judicial officer, a British Customs adviser, possibly also a British Revenue
expert all combining to usher in the new regime under the superv lsl on of a British
PolSckl Agent it is idle to expect any other interpretation of the situation than
S ub Uie introduction of a process Jf anglicizing Bahrem. The encased copy of
a report which I have just received from my Dragoman m Bushire illustrates the
popular view in Bahrein to-day, which will be the popular view throughout the Gulf
to-morrow. ^ • ,1
But it is difficult to see how this can be avoided. It is true that m ray telegram
nf tli.. 15th Mav (No B. I.) I suggested that Hamad might be left to carry out le-
hetanftS; as thiy suggested themselves, without — ^ing WUto
anything like a definite programme—though even then I anticipated t e danger that
the whole management of affairs might fall more and more into the power 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. . But once you step on to the path of reform, it is impossible to
where you will he led. The first inspection of affairs m Bahrem has ( onymced the
Pohtical Agent— and I entirely agree with him-that " ^
respects is an unavoidable Trst step. It is impossible to expect Shaikh Hamad to be
able to carry out these first steps without our assistance and very na t u ™
should ask us, who have taken on ourselves to depose his father al ' d P ut d
his place, to assume a large measure of responsibility. In fairnees ^ Ha ™ d
we cannot absolve ourselves of this responsibility whatever unfavourable conse
quences may result from the hostile interpretations of ignorance. ^ ^
His Maiesty's Government have pledged themselves to reforming the adnimis-
tration of Bahrein, and I believe that reform is really to* be mtroduced on soun
lines, the new ruler must rely at the beginning almost solely on British suppor ,
guidance in the various technical difficulties that demand a settlement.
I am at any rate glad to be able to report even at this early stage of the new
regime that Shaikh Hamad for his part while showing a friendly desne to le ^ n °
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. 's support and guidance regarding administrative ques 10 ,
is-proving that he is quite prepared to shoulder his own responsibilities m su
matters as affect his own position and authority as ruler of Bahrein.
Report hy 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. Dragoman.
A Persian, merchant residing at Bahrein has written to his sons that the Sha'
of Bahrein has been deposed and given a monthly allowance of Rs. 4,000, tna _
bitterly resents this action by the British authorities and intended to procee
Najd but he was told to go to India instead. He went on to say that his succ
sor, Hamid, has also been given an allowance of Rs. 5,000 per mensem and
a sum of Rs. 12,000 has been allowed for all the chiefs' families. He ei ^ ,-j.
expressing the opinion that the Shaikh as well as Hamid have no power, and
the British have assumed sole control over the Finance Department of i3aW e
Dated 15th June 1923.
M C259FD—10-7-23—25—GMPS

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' [‎52v] (121/224), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/131, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023403812.0x00007a> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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