File 1508/1905 Pt 1 'Bahrain: situation; disurbances (1904-1905); Sheikh Ali's surrender; Question of Administration Reforms (Customs etc)' [‎10r] (24/531)

[Confidential,']
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No. 87, dated Bushire, the 5th (received 15th) January 1908.
From-— Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Political Besident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department.
With, reference to the correspondence ending with Foreign Department
endorsement No. 4550-E.B., dated 1st December 1906, I have the honour to
forward, for the information of the Government of India, a copy of a commu-
Bahrein Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. letter No. 620, dated 7th niCUtiOD, received from the Political
administration of the Customs at Bahrein.
There seems some reason to hope that Sheikh Esa’s attitude is hecom-
management.
The present “ farm ’* expires almost at once, and the progress of the
Sheikh’s arrangements for the conduct of the Customs administration will he
attentively watched.
From— Captain F. B. Prideaux, 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. , 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 correspondence ending with your office
endorsement No. 2483, dated the 21st October 1906, on the subject of the
reformation of the Customs administration in Bahrein.
2. In view of the decision of the Government of India expressed in
Foreign Department letter No. 3903-E.B., dated the 2nd October 1906, to your
address, I have not troubled the Sheikh again on the question, but
Messrs. Gray Paul & Co. have been tentatively making bids, I understand,
which naturally are not as materially advantageous to the Chief as the
Government of India’s arrangement would be if the bugbear of infringement
of sovereignty were satisfactorily overcome.
3. The Arab merchants, I believe, are jealous of the possibility of the
firm’s being given the concession, and I have heard the views of their leader
Haji Muqbil adh Dhakair, on the subject. He told me that the only fear the
merchants entertained regarding the Government’s concerning itself in the
administration, was that they would be harassed to a greater extent than at
present by demands for cash payments and regulations of a c red tape order
in general, whereas at the present time their accounts are kept in a commercial
sort of way and only settled periodically.
4. I told Haji Muqbil that the Government of India only wished to
benefit the trade of Bahrein and to increase the Chief’s revenue through this
means, so that it was certain that any reasonable desires of the mercantile
community would be considerately and carefully attended to.
5. Haji Muqbil then said that as he had a good deal of influence with the
Chief just now, he having been principally instrumental in getting the Persian
Haji Abdun Nabi evicted from the Cargo-Landing Management, he would
sound the Chief on the question of the Customs and give him ins opinion m
our favour.
December 1907.
Agent at Bahrein, on the subject of the
ing less hostile than before to the idea of entrusting his Customs to our
No. 620, dated Bahrein, the 7th December 1907.