File 4535/1928 Pt 8 ‘ – PERSIAN GULF – QUESTION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTECTORATES OVER KOWEIT, BAHREIN, MUSCAT, TRUCIAL COAST.’ [‎86v] (166/194)

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In February of the same year a preliminary treaty of peace was made by the
sheikhs with the Bombay Government to prevent the sale of plundered goods, and
under this treaty the sheikhs were admitted to the benehts of the general treaty of
peace of the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. .
17. In 1822 an extraordinary incident took place, and it is upon this that the
Persians mainly base their claim to the Islands of Bahrein.
Captain Bruce, the Resident at Bahrein, had been considerably worried by the
attempts of rival claimants to the Bahrein principality, and he finally came to the
conclusion that the only way to achieve peace, and to prevent piracy, w T as to hand
Bahrein over to Persia.
Accordingly, in August 1822 he made an extraordinary and unauthorised
agreement with the Prince, Governor 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, wdth reference to Bahrein, it was stated that the Islands
of Bahrein had always been subordinate to the Government of Pars, against whose
authority the sheikh of the islands had lately become rebellious, that accordingly
the flag granted to the sheikhs under the general treaty of Persia should be
withdrawn, and that no assistance should in future be granted by Great Britain to
the Utah Sheikhs, that on the contrary she should assist Persia against them by
lending one or two vessels.
In other words, the title of Persia to Bahrein 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
representative in Pars and removed Captain Bruce from his appointment.
In doing so they remarked regarding the agreement:—
“ It acknowledges the King of Persia’s title to Bahrein, 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 promised 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 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. 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 representative
for conducting unauthorised negotiations, and he equally refused to ratil}/ t le
& 20. In 1828 Muscat made its last attack on Bahrein, and was defeated partly
by the Utab, partly by cholera. ^ ^ .
The Imam lost considerable prestige in the Gulf by his defeat, and m tuture
confined his attention mainly to Africa. , „
It may be stated that the various attacks of Muscat were cased on the taiiure
of Bahrein to pay the tribute to which it had bound itself.
2l. In 1830 the power of the Wahabis was again established in Central Arabia.
and Bahrein immediately felt the repercussion. , , .,, , ,
At the end of the year the Wahabis presented the sheikhs with a demand tor
the payment of zakab and for the cession of Dammam, on the mainland of Hasa,
which was still held by Bahrein. The sheikh 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 zakab admitted. The Amir m return undertook
to protect Bahrein against external aggression. In 1833 the sheikhs threw off their
allegiance, but in 1836, as there was talk of the Persian Government raising the r
claim to sovereignty, the sheikhs once more became reconciled to the Wahabi Amir
and agreed to pay him 2,000 dollars per annum as tribute, the Amir promising in
return to supply troops for the defence of Bahrein. r, .
22 As will have been seen throughout, the object of the British Goyernmen
had been to achieve maritime peace for the safety of the carding 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 Shmkhs of^Bahrein^^^bi Arnh , wag ca pt ure d by the Egyptians and deported to
EgyP Th: Sheikh o7!aS wafm^alarmed at the rumours he heard and, in