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'File 12/1 [1 A/1 I] Persian Claims to Bahrain' [‎16v] (37/502)

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The record is made up of 1 file (249 folios). It was created in 4 Nov 1933-21 Apr 1946. It was written in English, Farsi, French and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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10
'S
the Government of India empowered the Admiral, if the
Sheikh claimed British intervention and offered to place
his territories under British protection, “ to assure him of
the temporary protection of Her Majesty’s squadron in the
Gulf,” to inform the Egyptians that this pledge had been
given and to urge them to abstain from futher military
proceedings until the views of both Governments were
known, failing which Bahrein would be defended against
intervention by them until the pleasure of Her Majesty’s
Lor. I, 864. Government had been communicated to the local authorities.
In the same month the Sheikh promised the Assistant
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. to take no steps to place himself under
the authority or protection of a foreign Power without first
consulting 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. .
Sheikh submits to Egyptians (July 1839).
34. In ^July 1839 the Sheikh “suddenly and un
expectedly” acknowledged the supremacy of the Egyptians
and agreed to pay them a tribute of 2,000 dollars a year, on
the understanding that his local authority would be observed
and that no representative of the Egyptians would be sent
to reside in Bahrein. The Resident protested in writing
to both the Sheikh and the Egyptians, and expostulated
with the Sheikh on the way in which he was sacrificing his
independence. The Sheikh explained that his action was
the result of the refusal of Her Majesty’s Government to
give him advice or a specific assurance of support. For a
trifling financial payment he had now secured immunity
Govt R of' t0 fr °- m interfer ® nc : e - He offered, however, in return for a
Bombay written and distinct pledge of protection, to repudiate his
4.7.1839.’ agreement with the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and to avow himself a dependent
of Ilei Majesty s Government; but on being pressed he
refused to confirm this in writing and said that in any event
it would be necessary for him to justify his change of attitude
to the Egyptians on the ground that it was the result of
compulsion by Her Majesty’s Government.
Lor. I, 865.
Bombay
Selections,
XXIV, 389.
Precis, 393.
Hertslet,
1874, p. 5.
1839-40. Views of Her Majesty’s Government on future
Policy towards Bahrein.
35. As a consequence of the activities of the Egyptians
discussion appears about this time to have taken place as to
the desirability of declaring a regular protectorate over
Bahrein. ^ On 1st July 1839 the Secret Committee Pre-1784, the Committee responsible for protecting East India Company shipping. Post-1784, its main role was to transmit communications between the Board of Control and the Company's Indian governments on matters requiring secrecy. of the
East India Company informed the Government of India that
if necessary they would “ not disapprove of your entering
into an engagement with the Chief of Bahrein to protect him
against encroachments from Mehemet All, but we concur in
the doubt expressed by Captain Hennell [then Political
Resident] as to whether it would be expedient for that
island to be taken under the protection of the British
Government.” On 24th February 1840 the Foreign Office
wrote to the India Board (with reference to an enquiry from
the Bombay Government) that it was important that the
Egyptian troops should not be allowed to take possession of
Bahrein and that if the Company’s troops could occupy it
even provisionally, such a measure could not fail to be
attended with advantage. On the retirement of the
•Egyptians fiom Hasa in 1840 their relations with the Sheikh
came to an end.
Summary, 1830-40.
Bahrein was subject and tributary to
the YV ahabi Amirs. She revolted from them in the latter year
but in 1836 again entered into an understanding, which

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Content

This file contains correspondence between British officials (primarily from the Foreign Office and the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ) concerning two interrelated topics; the Persian Government's claim to sovereignty over Bahrain and discussions over whether or not Bahrain should be considered part of the British Empire for the purposes of the Import Duties Act of 1932.

The file contains two memoranda concerning the history of Bahrain:

1) 'Historical Memorandum on Bahrein' written by J G Laithwaite of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , 1934 (ff 11-34); 2) 'The History of the Bahrein Islands' written by the Foreign Office Research Department, 1945 (ff 217-218).

A number of translations and cuttings of press articles related to the sovereignty of Bahrain (in Faris, Arabic, French and English) are contained in the file.

The file also contains letters in Arabic (with English translations) from the rulers of Qatar (f 155), Bahrain (f 157), Umm al-Quwain (f 165) and Abu Dhabi (f 169), sent to the British 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. in Bahrain in response to a letter informing them that their territories were to be granted 'imperial preference' as per the Import Duties Act, 1932 (f 154).

Extent and format
1 file (249 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover and terminates at the back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 4-230; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superceeded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English, Farsi, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 12/1 [1 A/1 I] Persian Claims to Bahrain' [‎16v] (37/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/484, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025822337.0x000026> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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