File 1508/1905 Pt 1 'Bahrain: situation; disurbances (1904-1905); Sheikh Ali's surrender; Question of Administration Reforms (Customs etc)' [‎235r] (475/531)

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12. December 8th. —After taking two more statements of persons who had
got tired of waiting and had absconded the day before, I proceeded with
Captain Prideaux to Muharrag to see the Sheikh.
I was prepared for difficulty in bringing him round but not for the change
of front which we now experienced.
I began by telling him that I had examined all his witnesses as desired
and asked hi n what impression his son and Vazier had given him of the nature
of their testimony. He replied that they had duly posted him.
I then showed him the file of statements that I had brought and asked him
whether he would like to have them translated to him now or whether I could
leave an interpreter with him to doit at leisure, He said no; he did not
want them read or translated, he could call for the men himself if he wanted
to hear their statements. I replied that in that case all that remained to be
done was for me to give him my opinion on the case; and with his permission
I proceeded to do so.
13. I explained that the only point on which the evidence of the Arabs
seemed to throw any doubt was as to whether after the collision in the street
it was the Persian or the Arab boy who struck the first blow ; that that point
did not seem to be of the first importance and was certainly no excuse for the
murderous attack which had been made on a whole family including an
unfortunate old greybeard who had been innocently wending his way home
after his long .Ramzan day in his shop.
I continued that in spite of his allegation and the Mullah’s Istishhad to the
effect that it was the Arabs who had been attacked and had suffered, not a single
wounded man was produced or wound proved, nor was there a trace of any.
It was altogether contrary to probability that this one family of merchants
and men of peace (Abdu Nabi’s), part of an exceedingly small community of
Persians, should for a moment dare to get up a concerted attack upon Arabs in
an Arab town of some thousands of inhabitants.
I thought there was no getting over the fact that a serious offence had been
committed by a number of roughs among his subjects and that it was incum
bent upon him as a ruler to set aside his religious prejudices and have adequate
justice meted out.
v ; 14. I then repeated to him the measures which I had proposed to him
before (Enclosure 9) and also repeated that I was prepared to meet him half
way in regard to any detail, if he was generally prepared to accept my advice.
His reply to this must be noted.
“ I have only one answer to give, namely, that I will do nothing in this
case except after trial by my own Shariat or Urf Court.”
I pointed out to him (as I had done once before when he mentioned the
Shariat) that this was no case for the Shariat, especially when the Shariat
would be the Sunni Mullahs, Sheikh Jassim and his brother, Sheikh Ahmad,
who were themselves more or less mixed up in this affair. I added that in any
case in this instance, as he had been told before, the Persians had complained
to their Government, which had officially asked us to see justice done, and
that he might take my word for it that in this case at all events the British ^ ^
Government would not consider that justice would be done by a reference to
the local Mullahs. Moreover, no Mahommedan could be compelled to go to a
Shariat Court if he did not wish, and the Persians absolutely refused to take that
course. I explained to him that it did not mean, so far as my present informa
tion went, taking the Persians out of his jurisdiction altogether.
As to his “ Urf ” or Civil Court, I might be excused for reminding him that
no properly constituted Court of that nature existed in his territory, and that I
could not agree that after what had passed any suitable persons could be found to
form one, upon wnose integrity and intention to do justice any confidence could
be placed;
The Sheikh, however, was quite o bdur ate^ and would give no other answer.
Captain Prideaux will bear me wifnegs^ffiaTTwas most patient and quiet with
him and continued for a long time endeavouring to persuade him not to come to
a deadlock with me, but to agree to any sort of compromise which would show