File 1508/1905 Pt 1 'Bahrain: situation; disurbances (1904-1905); Sheikh Ali's surrender; Question of Administration Reforms (Customs etc)' [‎151v] (308/531)

4. At p.m. Sheikh Eaa requested Major Cox to help him to surround Sheikh
All’s ho’-se. This was promptly done, and an armed cutter to cover them was sent to
“lay off” All’s house. It was then found (5 p.m.) that Ali had fled at noon, after
a visit paid to him by his brother-in-law, Abdullah-bin-Esa. His half brother Hamid-
hin-Esa, did not return from his garden near Ar Ttufa until the evening of the 2 oth,
and subsequent inquiries showed that Ali had fled to Ar Kufa, of which fortress his^
uncle K ha lid is the Governor. . „ , . _ ,. T pr . J
It was generally believed that Ali did not finally quit Bahrein for A1 Katr until thi
28th. His uncle Khalid arrived at Manamah at 10 a.m on the 26th, but despite a
nig-ht spent in chasing Ali (according to Sheikh Esa), he looked quite fresh, and only
apparently desirous of hood-winking us. ! can hardly believe that had Esa gone at
once to Ali’s house on receipt of the ultimatum on the 25th, he could not have detained
him and the ten men, the majority of whom were followers of Ali.
5. At 8 a.m. on the 26th, each ship fired a blank charge, which was clearly seen
by the towns of Manamah and Muharrag. At S’SO Sheikh Esa arrived at the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
with two bags of 1,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. each, and a draft of his proposed notice on the “ Sukhra
question. He stated “ That despite all he could do, Ali and the ten men had left. He,
however, failed to convince me that he had shown any hearty desire to detain them, and
throughout the interview adopted a von possumus attitude.
6 . The fact that Sheikh Esa had to some extent complied with our terms
materially changed the situation ; but. as he had also shown a considerable amount of
ignorance, almost amounting to bad faith, and an intention to delay a settlement, the
following further terms were then given to him :—
(i.) That Sheikh Hamid should go on board a man-of-war, and remain there a,s a
mark of good faith, pending the capture of Ali, and the settlement of the original
terms. j x iv/r u u
(ii.) To prevent delays. Sheikh Esa should reside at Manamah instead of Mu bar ran,
during the visit of 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. to Bahrein.
(iii.) Sheikh Ali’s town house, furniture, boats, and animals should be given to the
British Government.
(Copy attached.)
Item iii) was agreed to after some demur, but numbers (i; and (ii) were only agreed
to by a threat to open fire, and the destruction of all forts within an hour, unless Sheikh
Hamid voluntarily surrendered. Upon his surrender at noon (26th), he w ? as taken on
board His Majesty’s ship “ Sphinx ” by Commander Bowman, where he was allowed
to employ four of his own domestics, and to see his friends at certain hours.
Sheikh Esa came over to Manamah on the 27th at 8'30 a.m., and lived with his
son Abdullah, during the remainder of our stay at Bahrein.
7- His proximity to the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. greatly facilitated all subsequent transactions, and
prevented any delay which bad weather, by stopping communications between the
islands, might have caused. His presence at Manamah also enabled pressure to be
promptly applied to the Sheikhs or others who tried to obstruct us, or who declined to
carry out our wishes.
At a port where shoals and reefs only permit of three hours’ work a day near the
shore, any obstruction that can be made by sheikhs or others, who refer you to a ruler
resident at Muharrag, causes the loss of a tide, and is most prejudicial to business— e.g.,
on the 28th, when shipping Ali’s camels, &c., the nakhodasof the dhows refused to move
until specific orders were given by Sheikh Esa to do so.
8 . Sheikh Abdullah was sent by Sheikh Esa to clear out the women and servants
from Ali’s house in Manamah on the 26th, which was then handed over to a guard of
sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. , a company of marines being landed to surround the house while this took
place and withdrawn at sunset. On the 27 th Sheikh Esa proclaimed Ali as an outlaw,
and on the 28th his house w T as emptied, while his dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. and boat were burnt as a warning
to the other Sheikhs.
9. A reward of 10,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. was offered by Sheikh Esa for the apprehension of
Sheikh Ali, and his delivery to any Political officer or man-of-war in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
in order to prevent his intriguing with hostile Chiefs, or from carrying out piratical
attacks upon the local traders.
10. Mullahs Jasim and Achmed were summoned to appear before Major Cox on
the 27 ih, but despite an order from Sheikh Esa to do so, and a promise of sate conduct,
Achmed fled, and only Jasim appeared on the 27th.
11 . Mullah Jasim (often called locally “ Sheikh”), however, paid several visits to
Major Cox, and eventually to save his brother Achmed from being outlawed, gave
.