'File 9/35 Eastern Bank Branch in Qatar' [‎53r] (105/120)

Confidential
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Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
Doha
DOth. August 1950
This letter follows ray telegram No.79 of
29th. August about the Manager of the Doha branch of the
Eastern Bank.
2.Smith.the Manager, was drunk on the night of
2,8tli. August in the Bank's building which is his office abd
his residence. At about 9.DO p.m.he went to the sentry at the
door of the building and asked him to fetch him a woman. The
sentry refused more than once and Smith thereupon left the
building,and walked unsteadily and noisily up the road. The
sentry passed word of all this to the Commandant of Police
who at once set cut to find Smith. Smith had returned to his
house with a small crowd of locals shouting at him. The
Commandant told Smith to remain in his house and go to bed,
and this Smith agreed to do. However,a very snort time later
the same thing happened again and this time the Commandant
stayed with Smith until he began to go to sleep.
D.It would not be fair if I did not explain the
conditions in which'Smith has had to live. When he first came
at the beginning of this year he lived with the Darvish. In
order to be independent lie moved into his present building
before he had any electricity.cooked for himself,and led an
altogether difficult and solitary life. Cochrane tells me that
his wife was quite certain that Smith was not feeding well enougk
and tried to Help him. All this added together ,and the absence
of his wife in particular.turned Smith,who has a liking for
liouor,into a silent but nervy drinker. He does not strik me
as "a fit man,and for what it is worth I repeat to you that he
complains of the mood and says it has some effect on him.
4.Smith is personally liked by ail who come in
contact with him.including uhe local population. He has never
been anything but cooperative with me. However, he has been
warned in the past by*Wilton, by his Manager, and his last
warning from the Adviser was that the next time must be the end
of his stay in Qatar. I have no hesitation in saying that I
think it impossible to allow Smith to remain here: the British
community is small and such things as this reflect on everyone,
where they might not in a larger place;we have only recently r
arrived in this part of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,and must set a very higK
standard; and also the Ruler is more fanatical in his religion
than some,and he has already been told the story by the Adviser.
5.My recommendation is therefore that Smith
should leave Qatar as soon as possible. If you agree, I think
it w r ould only be neccessary to tell the Eastern Bank that Smith
is "persona non grata." in t'atar,his manager will know the
reason why. I do not intend to call for a police report unless
you instruct me to do so.
K. icC.Andrew Esc.
HBoM. 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. ,
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