File 395/1908 Pt 2 'Persian Gulf: Katif; Disturbances in 1908' [‎16r] (27/146)

was informed that no more active assistance could be rendered
in the absence of a formal request in writing and the
approval of the Government# I urged him to send troops and
his gunboat without delay. The Wali has been repeatedly
urged by H#M#Consul to hasten the despatch of reinforcements
but so far without result# He refused to send the gunboat
’‘Kilad Bahar’ 1 in any case.
A few days ago H.M#Consul telegraphed to
Constantinople recommending that steps should be taken there
to get the despatch of reinforcements hastened#
On the 15th instant the Wali definitely assured
B*M*Consul that 150 troops and 2 guns would leave for Katif
in the shallow draft steamer M Kizimi H on the 16th but their
departure has been delayed. It is now stated that 180
soldiers leave tomorrow. The estimated strength of present
garrison at Katif is 70.
H#M#Con8ul informed me after an interview with
the Wali, that the latter, while in no way deprecating the
possible intervention of British forces, is unlikely to
make any formal appeal in writing* He appears to still
hope that he may get assistance without compromising himself
to this extent.
The Wali’s hesitation may be due to his fear of
further reducing the garrison of Basra, already depleted to
deal with disturbances up the River. The Commandant of
troops, on the other hand, is anxious to send a relief
force at once.
9#- Bahrein is a difficult place to communicate with*
There is no telegraph and only a fortnightly mail from
Bushire. There is a weekly mail up from Muscat, but a
telegram sent to Muscat for post to Bahrein takes 5 days
to reach its destination. T would submit that the present,
state