'Memorandum on Bahrein' [‎4v] (8/62)

8
Bombay
Political
letter dated
2.7.1825.
Abstract.
Lor. I, 854.
Lor. I, 855-6.
to strike the flag which the British Government had authorised the Uttabis of
Bahrein to fly. " He was informed that no control was assumed over the people
of Bahrein and that the letter disapproving of Captain Bruce's treaty had
manifested the line of conduct Government would pursue in regard to Bahrein.
The expedition was abandoned on a pretext, " but the Sheikh averted the danger
which threatened him by presents of considerable amount."
25. In October 1828 a last attack by the Imam of Muscat was severely
defeated and driven off, " after several undignified attempts to conclude a peace
with theSheikhs of Bahrein, and on 2nd December, 1829, peace was finally made
between the Sheikhs and the Imam. The main provisions of this agreement were
that tribute should not in future be paid by Bahrein to Muscat, and that neither
ruler should henceforth interfere in the affairs of the other. By a supplementary
verbal agreement the parties bound themselves to aid one another in the event of
an attack by a third party.
Summary, 18-20-30
26. During the first two years of this period the islands acknowledged the
supremacy of and, for a time, paid tribute to Muscat. From 1822 to 1829 they
were intermittently at feud with Muscat. In 1829 a treaty was concluded by which
Muscat withdrew its claims to supremacy and to tribute. The Persian claim was
alluded to in 1822 and 1825 but not pressed.
v.-1830-40
Lor. I, 856-7.
Lor. I, iii,
Table 9
Lor. T, 800.
Precis, 350.
Bombay
Selections,
XXIV, 385.
Lor. I, 858.
Bahrein and the Wahahis, 1830-35
27. In the course of 1830-31 the Sheikhs, His Majesty's Government having
refused to intervene in their favour, and fearing a combination between the Amir
and Muscat, formally submitted to the Wahabi Amir of the Arab mainland.
They agreed to acknowledge the Amir's supremacy and to pay a tribute to him.
He on his part undertook to protect Bahrein against external aggression. In
1833, however, the Sheikh felt strong enough to repudiate Wahabi supremacy, and
he conducted a not unsuccessful offensive against the Wahabis between 1833 and
1835.
Bahrein and the British Government
28. Sheikh Khalifah-bin-Salman, who had been joint ruler with his uncle
Sheikh Abdullah since the death of Sheikh Salman in 1825, died in 1834, and was
succeeded as joint ruler by his son Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifah. Effective
control continued to rest with Sheikh Abdullah. Internal dissension in the
ruling family became more marked between 1834 and 1839, and the misgovern-
ment of the island continued to grow with unfortunate effects on its prosperity.
His Majesty's Government, although in 1834 they had to take forcible measures
against the Sheikh to secure reparation for an insult to their 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. Agent in
Bahrein, were, however, content to abstain from any interference in the internal
affairs of Bahrein so long as the Sheikhs discharged the obligations undertaken
by their Treaty of 1820.
Restrictive Line applied to Bahrein, 1836
29. In 1835 the British Government renewed the maritime truce which they
had imposed in 1820 on the Arab rulers of the Gulf in the interest of the suppres
sion of piracy. The Sheikh of Bahrein was not, however, included in the
renewed truce, partly apparently because he had behaved so well that this was
thought unnecessary, partly because he could be easily punished in the event of
this proving desirable, and partly lest in the event of his inclusion he might
claim British intervention if attacked by Muscat. In March 1836 the Sheikh
agreed, however, to the application to Bahrein of the "Restrictive Line," this
being a line laid down in that year by His Majesty's Government between which
and the Persian coast no naval hostilities were in future to be permitted.
Reassertion of Persian claim. Bahrein tributary to the Wahahis, 1836
30. In the middle of 1836 the Sheikh, alarmed by a communication from
the Governor of Shiraz calling on him as a Persian subject to tender his sub
mission to the Shah, and by the possibility of the co-operation of the Imam of
Muscat in a Persian attack on Bahrein, took steps for a reconciliation with the
Wahabi Amir. As a result, he agreed to pay a nominal tribute of |2,000 to
the Amir, the Amir on his side agreeing to supply troops for the defence of