File 1749/1921 ‘Persian Gulf:- Residency news summaries 1921-25’ [‎114v] (243/494)

Mahmud Daduk alias Mahmud Beyharthu, a notorious slaver and gun
runner, is reported to have been killed at Suwaik in retaliation for having shot
his rival Bahadur Kambar in October last.
Haidar Kamal of Pushtak is said to have landed at Wagdam four rifles
brought from the Arab Coast.
A report has been received that one Nakhoda Ismail landed, at an unknown
spot on the coast, a Baluchi with five rifles from Birkah.
ARABIA.
Muscat. —(24th December—20th January.) His Highness the Sultan has
appointed Captain E. D. McCarthy to be Financial Adviser to the Muscat
Government fromlanuary IsOn adclltion to his duties as Commandant of the
Muscat Levy Corps.
Saiyid Said, His Highness’ son, left for Ajmer via Karachi on the 16th
January.
T racial Coast—No news of importance.
Bahrain.—{1st —27th January.) Shaikh Muhammad, the second son of
the Ruler, returned from Lingeh on the 22nd January.
Rao Saheb Naraindas Maharaj, for many years Director of Customs at
Bahrain, has died at Karachi and Mr. Trikamdas Dewanmal, a member of the
deceased’s firm, has been appointed to succeed him.
News has been received that A1 bin Ali tribe of Wakra who owe allegiance
to the brother of the Sheikh of Qatar, have, apparently as the result of a dispute
over taxes, left Qatar and emigrated to Jubail in Bin Sand’s territory where
the latter hasptomised them land to settle. Bin Saud’s Agent has left hurriedly
for Jubail, apparently under instructions from Bin Saud to settle the new
comers. There is little doubt that Bin Saud has been instigating this tribe for
some time past to disobey the Shaikh of Qatar.
In spite of the repeated efforts of the Municipal Council and the leading
notables and Shaikhs to obtain Shaikh Elsa’s consent to the proposed Town
Lighting and Water Supply Scheme, he still obstinately, and without
furnishing any valid reason, declines to give his consent to it. His. wife
has apparently prejudiced him against the scheme by describing it as
a political device to get hold of the water and rob him of his dominions.
His attitude has given rise to general dissatisfaction. An equally foolish, if
fortunate, instance of his fear of encroachment on his rights occurred when
the Shaikh suddenly subscribed Rs. 15,000 towards making the Sukhair road.
He was prompted to this unprecedented fit of generosity by his wife, who
declared that the proposal to use old railway irons for the bridges was a plot
on the part of the Brbish authorities to establish a claim to the island which
they could easily do if the iron rails were placed in the ground as they were
British Government property. It is rumoured that the leaders of the Bahrainis
are preparing a ‘ Madhbata ’ for presentation to the Shaikh complaining that
he has kept none of the terms of the agreement he had made with them last
year, such as the removal of 1 Sakrah’ imprisonment without trial and of the
power enjoyed by all members of the Shaikh’s family to punish at will.
A party of persons under the leadership of Abdulla Bin Khalaf, a pearl
merchant of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, have recently passed through Bahrain
on their return from a visit to Bin Saud. They are reported to be a mission
from the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi who is anxious to make his peace with Bin
Saud who was on friendly terms with the late Shaikh Hamadan of Abu Dhabi,
murdered by the present Shaikh. Bin Saud is represented as having stated
that he would avenge the death of his late ally unless the Shaikh consented
to his establishing an Amir of Abu Dhabi. If this report is true—as it appears
to be—it would point to Bin Saud’s using his position to overawe the Shaik