File 1508/1905 Pt 1 'Bahrain: situation; disurbances (1904-1905); Sheikh Ali's surrender; Question of Administration Reforms (Customs etc)' [‎106v] (217/531)

4
IT
ly include selection and approval of the Superintendent chosen and the period
ical auditing of accounts. I gather from 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. s paragraph under
reference that he considers that Sheikh Esa apparently recognises our intervention
in the case of injustice or outrage inflicted on persons whom we protect or are
interested in, as being a natural proceeding against which he can bring forward
no reasonable arguments, but that he places the Customs question in a different
category and suspects in our advances in connection therewith an attempt to en
croach upon his sovereign rights. Ihe 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. does not, however, seem
to give sufficient weight to the fact:—
(i) that the readjustment of the Customs Administration may be fairly
included in the category of important and necessary reforms
with respect of which, if he pretends as he does to regard us as
benevolent friends and not designing enemies, he is bound to
listen to our friendly advice and in regard to which his frequent
vacillation and exhibition of bad faith cannot be tolerated.
Moreover, the importance to our trade and political interests of being in a posi
tion to assure ourselves that the fiscal administration of Bahrein is reasonably
efficient, and by means of it of being able to exercise some supervision and^ con
trol over his finances generally, is just as paramount to ourselves as it is in the
best interests of the Sheikh.
No. 204, dated Bahrein, the 24th June 1905.
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.
1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 781, dated
the nth June 1905, and to refer also to letter No. 1873-E. B., dated the 17th
May 1905, from the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign De
partment to your address, a copy of which I have received from you in advance
of the other papers referred to in the 2nd paragraph of your letter under reply.
2. The message in Arabic which I have received from you for communica
tion to the Chief of Bahrein was duly read out to Sheikh Isa by my Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. in
my presence at Muharraq on the afternoon of the 20th instant. Sheikh Hamad
was present at the interview and on the conclusion of the conversation on the
subject of your message, I delivered to him the warning from the Government
of India that their ultimate acquiescence in his succession would depend entirely
on his satisfactory demeanour from this time forward.
Sheikh Hamad acknowledged the message briefly with the remark that he
hoped always to be favoured with the approbation of Government, and Sheikh
Isa tried to make excuses for his son by taking upon himself the responsibility
for all the latter’s actions. With regard to your own written message Sheikh Isa
gave me to understand that he still hoped the Government of India would be
more merciful in their decision about Sheikh AH. He promised also not
to trouble us further on the subject pending the receipt of that decision. The
proposal that Sheikh Khalifa should be sent to India was not mooted, as I did
not consider the occasion to be suitable.
3. With regard to the observations contained in Mr. Fraser’s letter No.
1873-E. B. of the 17th May 1905, and before I submit my specific replies I beg
to lay before you the views held by the Chief of Bahrein, on the question of his
position towards the Government of India, so far as I have been able to ascertain
them from the disjointed and far from clear remarks he has let fall from time to
time.
4. In 1861 a Convention was entered into between the Independent Ruler of
Bahrein and a representative of the British Government, in which it was arranged
that so long as the former abstained from certain acts disapproved by the British
Government, the latter would support the Chief of Bahrein against the aggres
sions of the Chiefs and tribes of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .