File 522/1922 Pt 4 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein: Internal' [‎108r] (220/616)

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•1 arr ival of the Resident. In the meantime the Persian sufferers had
ytLnhed to the Shah and had been informed in reply that the British Govern-
3 would take action on their behalf.
4n undesirable incident in which a German was assaulted occurred about
the same time in which no redress could be obtained.
19 On 21st January 1905 the Viceroy despatched a message to the Secretary
of State from which the following is an extract :
“ The incidents reported appear in our opinion to warrant and necessitate
vigorous measures with Shaikh who is only encouraged in his obstinacy by our
continued forbearance.
His obstinate attitude in regard to proposed Customs Reforms was explained
in our despatch of 21st April 1904 and apart from this present case he has shown
a disposition to ignore the advice of our new Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. . The appeals for
our assistance received from subjects of the German and Persian Governments
seem to minimise grounds for any international objection and makes the present
opportunity favourable for proclaiming our protectorate
13 The Resident, Major Cox, spent -four days discussing the case of the
Persians, but without result, the Shaikh maintaining that Persians were under his
jurisdiction and that the case must be tried by the Bahrain courts.
The status of the Persians as foreigners resident upon an Island under British
protection together with the certainty of justice being perpetrated should the
case be made over to a Sunni tribunal forbade any concession on this point.
Deadlock ensued and Major Cox left the Island on 10th December to report
the situation to Government. On the 23rd February 1905 he returned to
Bahrain as the bearer of demands anthorised by His Majesty’s Government
upon Shaikh Isa. He had been empowered to enforce compliance with the same
by Naval force if necessary and the British Cruiser H. M. S. “ Box and the gun
boats H. M. S. “ Redbreast ” and H. M. S. “ Sphinx ” were assembled in the har
bour.
An ultimatum was delivered to the Shaikh from which the following is an
extract of the orders received from Government:
“ Demands should be prefaced by a reference to the long continued support
accorded to the rulers of Bahrain and to the present Shaikh y e
British Government, who caused the usurper to be expelled, himseii
to be installed and the succession of his son to be recognised.
The Shaikh should be reminded of his assurances to follow the advice 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. ”.
14. Government in their memorandum of demands directed the Resident to
state—-
“ You have not maintained your friendship towards the British Govern-
ment and have conducted yourself in a manner whic canno
permitted to continue. In the event of any continuance or rep
tition of an unfriendly attitude, all support and assistance, whet he
diplomatic or military, which you, or your predecessors, ave ®
joyed will be withdrawn from you, and may possibl} a 'e ano i
direction ”.
A warning was conveyed to Hamad, the heir-apparent, whose attitude through
out the crisis had been as little satisfactory as his father s, that the ultimate ie-
cognition of his claims by the Government of India would depend upon is u u
conduct.
15. In his No. 123, dated 11th March 1905 Major Cox stated that he regard
ed it as a matter of considerable regret that the exigencies of Imperial P oll O;
did not admit of our making our moral protectorate into an open an e e
one at the present juncture. In a later letter, he stated that he ase sUj_ 0 es
lie had made on the facts that :— . .
1. The Prime Minister in a speech had referred to Bahrain as a Britisi
Protectorate. ‘
MC531FD