File 522/1922 Pt 5 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein: Administration: Internal Affairs: British Interference' [‎52v] (115/356)

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17. In 1822 an extraordinary incident took place, and it is upon this that the
Persians mainly base their claim to the Islands of Bahrain.
Captain Bruce, the Resident at Bahrain, had been considerably worried by the
attempts of rival claimants to the Bahrain principality, and he finally came to
the conclusion that the only way to achieve peace and to prevent piracy, was to
hand Bahrain over to Persia.
Accordingly, in August 1822, he made an extraordinary and unauthorised
agreement with the Prince Governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). of Shiraz relating to the whole of the Persian
Gulf. It may be added that the Governor of Shiraz was also not authorised
by his Government to enter into this agreement.
18 In this agreement, with reference to Bahrain, it was stated that the Islands
of Bahrain had always been subordinate to the Government of Pars, against whose
authority the Shaikh of the Islands had lately become rebellious, that accordingly
the flag granted to the Shaikhs under the general treaty of Persia should be with
drawn, and that no assistance should in future be granted by Great Britain to the
Utb Shaikhs, that on the contrary she should assist Persia against them by
lending one or two vessels.
In other words the title of Persia to Bahrain was explicitly admitted.
19. The Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. promptly disavowed the action of their re
presentative in Pars and removed Captain Bruce from his appointment. In
doing so they remarked regarding the agreement
“ R acknowledges the King of Persia’s title to Bahrain of which there is
* not the least proof, and to which the British Government cannot
assent without injuring the pretensions of the Imaum and the
Attabees. It promises our aid against every power possessed of an
island in the Gulf, and expressly against the Attabees to whom we
are bound by a treaty of friendship, and with whose conduct we have
every reason to be satisfied.”
The Government of Bomaby also pointed out that the agreement totally
violated all the principles of our policy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
The Shah of Persia appears to have been equally annoyed with his representa
tive for conducting unauthorised negotiations, and he equally refused to ratify the
agreement,
20 . In 1828 Muscat made its last attack on Bahrain, and was defeated partly
by the Utb, partly by cholera.
The Imam Lost considerable prestige in the Gulf by his defeat and in future
confined his attention mainly to Africa.
It may be stated that the various attacks of Muscat were based on the failure
of Bahrain to pay the tribute to which it had bound itself.
21 . In 1830 the power of the Wahabis was again established in Central Arabia,
and Bahrain immediately felt the repercussion.
At the end of the year the Wahabis presented the Shaikhs with a demand for
the payment of “ Zakat ” and for the cession of Dammam, on the main land of Hasa,
which was still held by Bahrain. The Shaikh attempted, without success, to obtain
the intervention of the British authorities : in consequence an agreement was made
with the Wahabis in which the supremacy of the Wahabi Amir was acknowledged, ’
and the right to the payment of the Zakat admitted. The Amir in return undertook
to protect Bahrain against external aggression. In 1833 the Shaikhs threw off their
allegiance, but in 1836, as there was talk of the Persian Government raising their
claim to sovereignty, the Shaikhs once more became reconciled to the Wahabi
Amir and agreed to pay him § 2,000 per annum as tribute, the Amir promising in
return to supply troops for the defence of Bahrain.
22. As will have been seen throughout the object of the British Government had
been to achieve Maritime peace for the safety of the carrying of their trade, and in
1836 a restrictive line was laid down for the Chiefs of the Trucial coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. beyond
which hostilities at sea were not permitted. This restrictive line was extended
to the Shaikhs of Bahrain.