File 1508/1905 Pt 1 'Bahrain: situation; disurbances (1904-1905); Sheikh Ali's surrender; Question of Administration Reforms (Customs etc)' [‎239r] (483/531)

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4 . With regard to the suggestions for punishment that I made in my last
letter, I wish to observe that I do not believe there will be any difficulty about
getting Sheikh Isa to acquiesce iu them. There are more than one precedent
in the records of your office to show that orders for the banishment of indivi
duals or the infliction of fines have been submitted to without protest or delay.
Moreover, the Chief is so weak and afraid of a portion of his subjects that he
is »lad to be able to tell them that his actions are prompted by jorce majeure.
I am aware that in regard to the Customs question the Government of India
do not wish to gain their ends directly by compulsion, but in the present cases,
if our authority is not unhesitatingly vindicated, our prestige will be lowered
not only here, but probably in the entire length of the Arab Coast. In these
circumstances I earnestly hope that you will be able to see your way to author
izing the adoption of strong measures as quickly as possible.
Enclosure No. 6 .
Statements of Persian Subjects.
Deposition.
No. 1.
Kal {i.e. Karbelai) Ahwaz states on solemn affirmation :—I was in my
shop in the afternoon in question, and, having heard from my son Abdu Nabi
that my servants were being beaten, I closed my shop and went towards my
house, but was overtaken and assaulted. I was knocked down in the street by
a crowd of Arabs. They hit me on the head, body, and arms, and I fell insen
sible, and when I came to I found myself in my house.
Note .—This witness, a very old man, aged about 80, was brought in on a
litter He was in a very critical state and not in a fit condition to be cross-
examined or give further evidence. I therefore, sent him away, fearing that the
ordeal might kill him.
No. 2.
Haji Abdul Nabi bin Kal Ahwaz, son of last witness (No. 1), on^ solemn
affirmation :—I am a business man. My chief work is as Hamal Bashi for the
Sheikh of Bahrein. I am also in the employment of Gray Paul & Co. in con
nection with the lighter service. I am also Dubash for the British Navy in
Bahrein.
My age is about 85.
I was in the Customs Warehouse (Amara) in the afternoon about (10
Arabic) = (4 p.m. English).
Two of my nephews, Ali and Rahkhuda, came and told me that my employ^
and weighing man, Ramzan, had been killed in the bazaar by being beaten to
death by Arabs.
I thereupon ran to the bazaar and found a crowd of people mobbing Ram
zan, who was under their feet. I called out and asked them why they were
beatino- my servant. They then caught me by the collar and said, “ Let u s take
him to°Ali bin Ahmed (the Sheikh’s nephew). They then dragged me a few
yards out of the bazaar, when we met Mansoor bin Khairullah, acting Bazaar
Master, who rescued me from their hands.
I then went unmolested to my father’s shop and found it closed and my
father just on the way to his house. I joined him. On the way we met
Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed r s negro Bakheit el Nubi, who pretended to pacify me
and to make little of what had happened and joined us himself. Close to
my house is a mosque called Musjid-i-Juma. As we approached it, I noticed a
lar^e gathering of Arabs armed with sticks, daggers, and swords standing in
the 3 road. Bakheit held up his hands in a deprecatory way, ostensibly as if to
say to them “ Let them alone, ” and called out, “ Balakum Balakum, ” i. e.,
“ Take care, take care. ”
I think, however, that it must really have been a prearranged sign because
they immediately made an assault upon us. They hit me on my hands and
arms upraised for self-protection, as I tried to escape. They caught hold of my
cloak, which came away from my shoulders, and I escaped to the house of Ali
bin Kazim-Bushiri.