'HISTORICAL MEMORANDUM ON BAHREIN.' [‎11r] (21/50)

19
simultaneously. On the 27th February 1861 the Political
Resident reported that “ the Persian and Turkish flags still
fly on the forts of the island and in an interview that Com
mander Cruttenden had with Sheikh Md. bin Khalifah at his
own request he (the Chief) remarked in respect to them
that they were displayed ‘ merely to suit his own fancy.
What did he care for Turk or Persian ? He valued the
friendship of the British Government highly.’ ”
British Convention of 31st May 1861 with the Sheikh.
70. In May 1861 the Sheikh, refusing to discontinue
a blockade which he had imposed qn the Wahabi coast,
was informed by the Resident of the decision of Her p 0 p R es .
Majesty’s Government that he was regarded as an indepen- to Sheikh,
dent Chief and that in these circumstances he must be held - 5 - 5 - 1861 ,
responsible by them for any piratical activities in which
he might indulge. The Sheikh proved obdurate; he was
threatened with forcible measures by the Resident and two
of his ships were seized. He accordingly submitted, and on
31st May 1861 he signed a Friendly Convention with the
Resident, acting on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, by
which he entered into a ‘‘perpetual treaty of peace and
friendship ” with Great Britain, and in which, as indepen
dent ruler of Bahrein,” he acknowledged as valid and in
force the earlier conventions entered into between Bahrein
and Her Majesty’s Government, and undertook in return
for a guarantee of protection against aggressions “ by the
Chiefs and Tribes of the Gulf ” to abstain from maritime
aggression, piracy, the slave trade, &c., and to agree to Aitchison*
certain conditions in regard to residence and trade in Vol. XT,
Bahrein by British subjects and to jurisdiction over them. No. x, 234.
One of the ships seized from him was thereupon returned ;
the second, the Hamrah, was retained.
71. The Turkish and Persian agents would seem to have p 0 p R e s. to
disappeared from Bahrein before the Resident’s arrival. The Teh., Xo. 20,
Persian authorities at Bushire in June 1861 asked the 8.6.1861.
Resident for an explanation of his proceedings. The Resident,
however, contented himself with forwarding their enquiry to
Her Majesty’s Minister at Tehran. The Convention was
approved by the Government of India in 1861, and the
Turkish and Persian Governments were informed of what
had happened.
Summary, 1850-61.
72. The Turkish Government were informed in 1851
that Her Majesty’s Government could not recognise any
claim on their part to Bahrein.
The Sheikhs appear to have continued to pay tribute to
the Wahabi Amir in the early part of and possibly through
out this period.
In 1859 the Sheikh appealed simultaneously to Turkey
and to Persia, as the result of apprehensions of a Wahabi
attack, and received a Persian envoy, who hoisted the
Persian flag. On the arrival immediately afterwards of the
Turkish envoy the Persian flag was hauled down. Sub
sequently the Sheikh for a time flew both flags side by side.
The envoys seem to have left Bahrein in the early part
of 1861. No action was taken by the British authorities
pending a decision by Her Majesty’s Government as to
whether they regarded Bahrein as independent. The Persian
Government undertook not to endeavour to occupy the islands
until the title to them was settled.
Her Majesty’s Government decided in February 1861 to
regard the Sheikh as an independent ruler and so hold
him responsible for piracies, &c. Punitive action against
him by Her Majesty’s Government having proved necessary
in May 1861, he entered in that month into a convention
with them in which he was described as “ independent ruler
of Bahrein,” and secured certain guarantees of protection.