'File 19/165 III (C 24) Bahrain Reforms' [‎78v] (163/426)

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2. Tlie memorial is a farrago of svfpretsio veri and suggestio falsi; Sliailc^-
Isa^s incompetency has been notorious for years. If it had been only incompetency^
he could no doubt have been left in peace in his declining years, but when to the
incompetency was added a love of oppression and tyranny and extreme rapacity
it became imperative to intervene. Having had a rule of fifty-six years during
which he never did a single act for the good of the State or people, and never spent
a penny in Public Works—the pier and Custom House which he was compelled
to build by outside pressure is no exception as the cost of these was met by a loan
raised by the merchants which was repaid ' by increased landing and wharfage
charges on goods improted by the merchants—in other words the merchants
repaid themselves ! Shaikh Isa has had a good run for his money—or probably
* for other people s money ' would be more appropriate.
3. It may not be out of place to say a few words about the origin of this
memorial. It has been got up in Bombay by Abdul ahab /ayani who is a
professional agitator, and who previous to the deposition of Shaikh Isa, had been
a thorn in the latter's side for years, with his coixstant agitation for a so-called
Parliament. It will be noticed that Abdul Wahab has brought this body into
this memorial in the guise of a " congress." Abdul Wahab's ' parliament con
sisted (in his imagination) of a few men—certainly not more than a dozen all
Sunnis, presided over and presumably nominated by himself ! Major Daly (with
whom I discussed the petition and my draft reply when visiting Bahrain on 21st
March) tells me that Abdul Wahab returned from Bombay (where he had been
compelled to reside owing to the unpopularity of his views with the A1 Khalifa
family) about the time he himself was appoint 3d 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 first Major
Daly, thinking Abdul Wahab was agitating for representative government,
interested himself a good deal in the matter, having long interviews with Abdul
Wahab, etc.; but as soon as he found out the true nature of Abdul Wahab's so-
called parliament, he saw that it would be useless as even if it materialized and
got power it would only transfer the power from the hands of the Shaikh to those-
of an oligarchy^
Abdul Wahab's congress is described in paragraph 7 as including the " Chiefs
of the Tribes, Nobles r Ulema and Merchants " and the 12 4 delegates ' mentioned'
in paragraph 8 included the " Chiefs of the Taifa As a matter of fact there are
no real ' tribes ' worthy of the name in Bahrain—the Dowasir were the nearest
approach to a real tribe but they have gone. Abdul Wahab alternately describes-
himself as the " Chief ©f a Taifa " or one of the " Ulema He is neither (his only
claim t© being one of the ' Ulema r consists in the white turban he habitually wears)
. being merely one of the members of the Zayani family which consists of a small
number of well-to-do pealring nakhudas and traders.
When getting up the last agitation (on my return from leave) Abdul Wahab
is reported on good authority to have raised 1-|- lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in subscriptions, which he
seems to have got out of the Country. This report is to some extent confirmed by
the heated altercation which book place (and was overheard) between Abdul Wahab .
and Abdul Latif when they were being deported in the course of which the latter
accused the former of having " got away with " all the funds subscribed. Doubt
less Abdul Wahab is now enjoying the proceeds in Bombay, though he will no doubt
have to pay up a fairly large sum to the lawyers and solicitors he has employed.
But one thing, I think, is evident, viz., that as long as Abdul Wahab can get money
from Shaikh Isa and others he will continue to earn a comfortable livelihood by
agitating on the Shaikh's behalf.
On the other hand Shaikh Isa is very old and doddering now and desires nothing
* better than to be left in peace and this petition is not diiectly of his making. He
desires to pass his declining years in peace and quiet but his wife, the mother of
Abdulla, an old tyrant and Shaikh Isa's evil genius—assisted by various intriguers
and agitators—will not let him.
4. I am not aware what the procedure is in answering memorials, but if any
answer is to be given to this one I presume it will not be sent to the solicitors who
drew it up or to Abdul Wahab Zayani ; I trust it will consist of a verbal reply to be
delivered to the Shaikh by the Resident, or if a written answer is laid down by the
regulations, a brief one to be read over and handed to Shaikh Isa by the Resident or