'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)

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representation of your interests at Bahrein, since I understand, from your
telegram to the PoHtical 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,
To—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 agree 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
list of the Political Department. During the period in which he has represented
British interests at Bahrein, Mr. Gaskin has, we consider, justified 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. wou ] d certain ] y result from SUCh
an arrangement. It is true that in February 1900 Mr. Gaskin’s appointment
was sanctioned as a purely temporary arrangement, but subsequently in Sep
tember of the same year it was decided to make the appointment permanent.
Our arrangements were reported to Your Lordship iu our despatch No. 93 of
13th June, and will, w r e trust, be confirmed.
3. In your Lordship’s Secret despatch No. 9, dated the 24th. May 1901,
you invited our attention to a suggestion made by His Britannic Majesty’s
Ambassador at Constantinople that a British or British Indian subject should
he appointed Director of the Bahrein Customs, in order to give to the Turkish
Government a material proof of our authority over the island. Colonel Kemball,
in the letter already quoted, agrees that such an appointment would undoubtedly
be to the Sheikh’s advantage; but considers that the measures which have
already been taken should leave no room for misapprehension as to our predom
inant position in Bahrein. As we stated in our despatch of 9th May,, we do
not think the position at Bahrein altogether satisfactory, and the appointment
of a British subject as Director of Customs would hardly, in our opinion, make
it more definite. At the same time we recognise that our interests would be
served by the arrangement suggested by Sir N. O’Conor, and as Your Lordship
will observe from the papers that we enclose, the question of obtaining a closer
control over the Bahrein Customs has engaged our attention for some time past.
It will be seen from Sir W. Cuningham’s letter of 7th February 1S99 that Colonel
Meade was directed to press the proposal on the Chief simultaneously with the
conveyance to him of the information that we were prepared to recognise his
eldest son as his successor. But our hope that the Sheikh would recognise the
advantages of the measure suggested was not realised, and Colonel Lemball
now reports that the attitude of the Sheikh in the matter is still unchanged.
It is possible that an opportunity may occur later for reviving the sugges ion
with more prospect of success, and Colonel Kemball will continue o ear c
matter in mind.