File 4673/1919 Pt 3 ‘Persian Gulf: Bahrein Mission to England 1919. Political business of Mission’ [‎326r] (39/164)

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if a change was approved of the necessary alteration in the
appointment of the Majlis could easily be made. Abdullah saw
my point and promised to get Shaikh ’Isa to appoint the Majlis
at once. (This at the time of writing has not taken place.)
(6) Next Abdullah asked me boldly my opinion on Shaikh Isa’s letter
to Sir Arthur Hertzel and specially my ideas on the four
proposals put up. He stated Shaikh Isa was anxious for an
answer from Government, yet at the same time was nervous
as to the nature of the reply he would get. He feared Govern
ment might be angry The actual proposals did not matter
much so long as His Majesty’s Government were not annoyed
with him. I asked Abdullah if he wanted my opinion as a friend
or as Political Officer. He hastened to say as a “ friend.” I told
him I thought the letter to Sir Arthur Hertzel had much better
have never been written, it was an unwdse document and raised
certain awkward questions, the answering of which might only
result in a rebuff to Shaikh Isa.
(c) Regarding proposal 1 .—I said things had been working satisfactorily
up to date. It was a mistake to get a definite ruling from Gov
ernment. The proposal would certainly bring forth a ruling in
the matter. Shaikh Tsa’s proposal actually meant that he wished
to have jurisdiction over the subjects of the Chiefs of Nejd,
Koweit, Oman, Zanzibar, Hadramant, Yemen, Hejaz, when they
were in Bahrein. Government could never agree to this and
might possibly turn round and grant him no rights whatsoever
over foreign Arab subjects. Here Abdullah hastened to inform
me that Shaikh ’Isa referred only to the inhabitants of Hassa,
Qatif and Qatar proper not further afield. I pointed out that by
unofficial arrangement he was already allowed control over the
people of these places, therefore why raise the question at all.
Abdullah had nothing to say to this but shake his head.
The net result of my talk over proposal I showed me that Shaikh ’Isa
would be quite satisfied if he definitely were given control of the
inhabitants of Qatif, Qatar and Hassa (not Nejd) who visited
Bahrein. I personally see no great harm in conceding this
much, but I consider it w r ould be the greatest mistake in the
world to put the subjects of Koweit, Oman, Hadarmant, Yemen,
Hejaz, Zanzibar, etc., under his control. We should only lay up
for ourselves much trouble with the rulers of those places
themselves and their subjects here, the latter even now most
vigorously insist that they come under the protection of the
British Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . Definite orders on the subject, I think, should
be given Shaikh ’Isa early.
(d) Regarding proposal II .—I pointed out the sole object of the
authorities who drew up the “ Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. ” was that the
foreign element should be fairly represented on the Majlis al
TJrfi. That the Majlis al Urfi was intended to try mercantile
cases chiefly, of which the majority concerned foreign merchants,
that we should only get overwhelmed by appeals from the
Indian Boreign Committee, should a purely Bahrein* Majlis sit.
„ R , In fact, it would be impos-
a arD:v sible to send Indians and
Persians to such Majlis, they would straight away refuse to go
there. I think Shaikh Abdullah saw my point. He appeared!
in the end to be quite willing to let things remain as at present
and as regulated by “ Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. .” He appeared to dread
such a thing as an appeal of an Indian Merchant to India,
against the decision of his father’s Bahrein* Majlis. I suggested
this as a possible contingency.
(e) Regarding proposal III.— 1 Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. .” I pointed out the unlikeli
hood of His Majesty’s Government’s ever even considering such