'File 8/32 Proposals for collecting intelligence from Saudi Arabia' [‎8r] (15/24)

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SECRET .
L.0.No:C/591-23/1. Political A^^ncy,
Bahrain, the 14th Lecember 1933.'
Dear Colonel Fowle,
lill you kindly refer to your deal-official letter
No:1867-S oaten the 4th Leeember 1933 re^srdin^ obtaining
inlormBtioc about Sa f udi Arabia,and Hass, in particular.
2. I had already started to do this before I cane to
Bushire,but it is not an easy business nowadays.for two reasons.
Jne reason is that the 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. is completely
out ol touch with Ibn Jiluwi and the ’Amirs of Qatif and ’O-air,
and the former appears determined that heither he nor his ’Amirs
shall have any relations with the 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. . Other people
from those parts act accordingly.
The other reason is that the 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. is kept so
busy with petty work,which must be done and cannot be delegated
(there is no one to delegate it to,except the Incian Assistant
who is wholly occupies by Court work),that he cannot see people
as he ought. I was aghast,when 1 returned here,to find how out
ol touch the 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. had become. I have tried to rid
mysell ol as much as possible,and to encourage visits from the
Shaikh and his relations,and so on,as their information is far
more valuable,as a rule,than anything one can buy.
3 . «ly experience of paid information in Bahrain is not
encouraging,but I think that there is one direction m which I
could usefully employ a regular (and not very large) payment.
I would rather give you details,if I may,when you are here next.
4. I entirely agree about the importance,especially in
view of the possible ^and inevitable) future,of our getting
The Honourable /better
Lieut-Colonel T.C.fi.Fowle,C.B.E.,
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.