'Shaikh Ali bin Ahmad' [‎9r] (17/630)

■■■■
P"" . t*
■J \y
l
m
•No. 288, dated Bushire, the 18th (received 27th) June 1905.
From Major P. Z. Cox, CLE., Offg. 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 Persi Gulf,
To S- M. Fraser , Esq , C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of India in the
Foreign Department, Simla.
jn continuation of previous correspondence ending with my letter No. 2^0
dated nth June, I have the honour to submit, for the information of the Govern-
Juni!? 0 ' - ^ ■*» cTdon' SVh^ 0 recrived' froTThe
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 Bahrein.
It merely amplifies the information given in Captain Prideaux's •ast letter
and does not seem to require any special comment from me. '
I
v V
V,/
- ^ No. 194) dated Bahrein, the 9th June 1905.
| From— Captain F. B. Prideaux, oPIitical Agent, Bahrein,
To—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.
I have the honour to refer to my letter No. 191, dated the and June igoq
with which I forwarded, by last mail, a translation of a letter from the Chief of
Bahrein on the subject of his imaginary grievances.
2. Apart from the matter of the inaccuracy about the "felling of the flag
staff, " I have tried on two occasions—first on the morning of the 2nd lune and
once again subsequently-to convince the Chief that the ^ manPier in which he
described his habit of rejecting sueh counsels of fhe Government of India as he
tounr 3 unpleasmg would be likely to cause grave displeasure to Government
1 he last mail steamer stayed an unusually short time in this harbour and left
*oon after mid-day. 1 was unable therefore to write more on this subject before
the post closed.
. 3-1 n j o y' k* g ; o report that with a view to getting the indiscreet letter recon^
sidered and if possible withdrawn, 1 worded my remonstrances in much stronger
terms than (have used before—stronger even than those which you adonfed
under orders from Government-though I do not think that 1 in any way exceeded
the truth.
4. I reminded the Sheikh that in 1867 his uncle Mahomed bin Khalifa broke
the terms of his agreement with Government, and in consequence the latter sent
an expedition to punish him. They conquered the Islands and drove ^heikh
Mahomed out. Subsequently, although they knew Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa
(Sheikh Esa's father) to have also been in fault, they forgave him and made him
Chief of Bahrein. 1 wo years later a rebellion broke out against Sheikh Ali
which resulted in the latter's death, the flight of Sheikfl Esa and the assumption
of the Chiefship by Mahomed bin Abdallah.
The Government of India again sent an expedition here, defeated the sue-
cessful rebels, brought Sheikh Esa back from Katar and installed him in the
Chiefship. In 1873 Sheikh Esa offended the Government by his arbitrary con
duct but subsequently made amends by apologizing and promising to consult
and follow the advice of the British representatives in difficult questions in future
Since then the Government have efficiently protected Sheikh Esa from the
attacks of Nasir bin Mubarak and from interfering Turkish and Persian offiriak
Generally, Sheikh Esa's attitude has been satisfactory, and when mistakes have
been made he has not failed to submit to Government's orders. Recently how
ever two cases have occurred in which Sheikh Esa has forgotten that it is his
duty to accept the Resident's advice. A British force was sent here to exact
compliance, and if he had shown resistance he would doubtless have been driven
from Bahrein.
-f He professed, however, to submit, and signed a written promise always
future to fdlow the advice of Government. He also promised to use "
m t
&
• f
•-A
11
4