'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA IN THE FOREIGN DEPARTMENT. I. JANUARY 1899-APRIL 1904. II. DECEMBER 1904-NOVEMBER 1905. VOLUME IV. PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF.' [‎173r] (350/386)

87
representation of your interests at Bahrein, since I understand, from your
telegram to the Political Besident, of tbe2nd February 1900, that Mr. Gaskin’s
appointment is a purely temporary arrangement.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient humble servant,
GEORGE HAMILTON.
45
No. 168 (Secret—External), dated Simla, the 24th October 1901.
From—The Government of India in the Foreign Department,
Tq The Right Hon’ble Lord George F. Hamilton, His Majesty’s Secretary of
State for India.
With reference to the correspondence ending with Your Lordship’s tele
gram dated the 9th July 1901, regarding Bahrein affairs, we have the honour
to forward, for the information of His Majesty’s Government, copies of the
correspondence detailed in the accompanying list.
2 We a»ree with 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. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. that, for the rea
sons given in his letter, dated the 16th August 1901, it is undesirable to replace
Mr Gaskin, the Assistant 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. at Bahrein, by an officer of the graded
li«t of the Political Department. During the period in which he has represented
British interests at Bahrein, Mr. Gaskin has, we consider, justihed his selec
tion : and any advantage which might be expected from the appointment of an
officer of superior status would, we conceive, be outweighed by the extra expense
and the constant changes of personnel*
• See despatch No. 72, dated the 5th May 1898. would certainly result from SUCh
an arrangement. It is true that in February 1903 Mr. Gaskin’s appointment
was sanctioned as a purely temporary arrangement, but subsequently in >. ep-
tember of the same year it was decided to make the appointment permanent.
Our arrangements were reported to Your Lordship in onr despatch bo. Jo o
18th June, and will, we trust, be confirmed.
8 In your Lordship’s Secret despatch No. 9, dated the 24th May 1901,
you invited^our attention to a suggestion made by His Britannic Majes y s
Ambassador at Constantinople that a British or British Indian s^Ject should
he appointed Director of the Bahrein Customs, in order to ,S lv ®
Government a material proof of our authority over the island Colonel Kemba l,
in tiie letter already quoted, agrees that such an appointment would undoubt' dly
be to the Sheikh^ advantage*; but considers that the measures which have
already been taken should feaveno room for misapprehension ^-r predom
inant position in Bahrein. As we stated in our despatch of 9th May, we do
not think the position at Bahrein altogether satisfactory, a .o d J; 1 ’ 6 ^omtment
of a British subiect as Director of Customs would hard.y, in our opinion, make
it more dcfiufte At the same time we recognise that our nterests would be
“erved by the arrangement suggested by Sir N O’Conor, an<l-YourI.rd^ip
will observe from the papers that we enclose, the question of obtaining a closer
control over he BahreVcustoms has engaged our attention forsomet ep
Tt will he seen from Sir W. Cuningham’s letter of 7th February 1899 that Colonel
M,2 iltXS iV«> •'» proposal on .to « .l”l»toon, P f
conveyance to him of the information that we were prepared to recognise
eldest'on L his successor. But our hope that
advantages of the measure suggested was not realised and Colonel Jiem a^
now reports that the attitude of the Sheikh in the 1
It is possible that an opportunity may occur later for reviymg the su ge ^
with more prospect of success, and Colonel Kemball w il j
matter in mind.