'File 19/191 IV (C 103) Bahrain, Persian Claim To' [‎154r] (310/681)

island in the name of the Persian Government. His Majesty's representative
stated that an agent of the Sheikh of Bahrein was also at Tehran, bearing a letter
which stated that as the inhabitants of the island were of the same sect as the
natives of Persia, they had always looked up to the Persian monarch as their
protector and head, and that they therefore hoped for the assistance of His
Majesty to cloak them from the oppressions of the Wahabis. Approval for the Teh. Desp.
grant of the military assistance desired was stated to have been given by the Shah a5.i8]7 0t
to the Imam, but no action appears to have followed.
11. In 1818, on the appearance of the Egyptians in Hasa, the Sheikh of
Bahrein appears to have offered to assist them with sea transport. In February Lor i, 846
1819 the Sheikh entered into an agreement with the British Government, with the
terms of which he subsequently failed to comply, for preventing the sale of
captured British property in his dominions, and in the same year he expressed
great indignation at the violation by the British authorities, under a misappre
hension as to the nationality of certain vessels, of the neutrality of his port.
12. On 19th April, 1819, His Majesty's Representative at Tehran T eh De8 P-
reported to the Government of India that the Imam of Muscat had complained
bitterly against the non-fulfiiment of the engagements contracted with him bv the
Persian Government for the capture of Bahrein. The Minister added that letters
received by him showed that the troops of Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the Viceroy of Egypt,
had occupied Bahrein (this appears to have been incorrect) and that the Imam
had suggested to the Shah that he should send a messenger to the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. asking
him to evacuate the island. The Imam is stated to have urged upon the Shah
the necessity of endeavouring to recover a possession which according to him
had for ages acknowledged the sovereignty of Persia. He was, however,
unsuccessful, and in June 1819 His Majesty's Minister reported that the Shah
had for the present dropped all intention of taking any steps in pursuit of
his pretensions to the sovereignty of the island. It may be added here that the
(xovernment of Bombay in a despatch of 21st July, 1819, to the Government of
India, in which they discussed the desirabilitv of assisting the Imam of Muscat,
in return for assistance in connection with the expedition proposed against the
Gulf pirates, to establish his claims to Bahrein, referred to an "arrangement some
time since concerted between the Shah and the Imam, whereby the former
bad agreed to relinquish all claims to the island of Bahrein in favour of the
Imam, under the condition of receiving a portion of its revenues."
B ahrein submits to M uscat , 1820
13. The Persians, at the beginning of 1820, moved apparently by a desire
to anticipate any attempt by Muscat to establish control over Bahrein with the
support of His Majesty's Government, unsuccessfully requested the Imam to
convey their troops to Bahrein. They addressed a similar application, equally
unsuccessful, to the Commander of the British Expedition in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
In the early part of 1820 the rulers of Bahrein made full submission to the Imam
of Muscat and agreed to pay him a tribute of 30,000 dollars. An instalment
(12,000 dollars) of this tribute appears subsequently to have been actually
remitted.
Lor. I, 847.
P olicy of B ritish G overnment , 1819-20
14. The policy to be adopted by the British Government in regard to
Bahrein was examined between the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. and the Government
of India in 1819-20, and was ultimately defined as one of complete neutrality. Govt of
The transfer of Bahrein to the Imam of Muscat had been contemplated, but Bombay to
this project, so far as the British Government were concerned, was now abandoned. ^9
1 he (jovernment of Bombay suggested that the Sheikh should be informed that paras. 2, 3.
so long as he restrained his subjects from piracy he would reap the advantage
oi a friendly neutrality on the part of Britain, whereas should a piratical spirit
manifest itself forcible measures of coercion would be applied to him. They
added that the conclusion of an engagement in general terms with the Sheikh
would probably tend to convince the Uttabi Arabs of the inte^ritv of our
intentions." J
British Offer to Persia of Mediation with Bahrein, 1820
15. Simultaneously the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , in a despatch to the Charge Dated
d'Affaires at Tehran, remarked that "we mean to avoid all interference in
respect of the island of Bahrein .... There is, however, reason to believe that ' ''