File 522/1922 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein affairs: Retirement of Shaikh Isa; Reforms' [‎10r] (28/804)

CONFIDENTIAL.
No. 716-S., dated Bushire, the 22nd (received 31st) December 1923.
From—The Hon’ble Lieutenant-Colonel A. P. Trevor, C.S.I., C.I.E., Political Resi
dent in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
Bahrain Reforms.
With reference to the correspondence ending witn my express letter
No. 712-S., dated 21 st December 1923 on the subject of the Bahrain reforms
1 have the honour to forward herewith for the information of the Govern
ment of India, a copy of a letter from the 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. , Bahrain,
(No. 208/C./9/2, dated 17th December 1923), to my address forwarding a
copy of a rough budget for one month which had been prepared by Major
Daly in consultation with Mr. Bower shortly before the receipt of f oreign
and Political Department telegram No. 1688-S. (Serial No. 24o), dated 8 tx.
December 1923. -a
2. I think the Government of India will agree that the Bahrain State
appears to be pleasingly solvent—a distinction among Arab Principalities
m this part of the world. If so however, it is entirely due to the etiorts
of Maior Daly and Mr, Bower, as prior to June 1923 the Shaikh was hying
from hand to mouth, writing drafts on the Customs, getting into
debt with them, etc., quite in the approved style for such principalities.
3 In a recent report Mr. Bower was able to tell me that during the
three months Safar, Rabi I and Rabi II the Customs recasts
Rs 1 150 per diem more than those of the same period m the preceding ye
Tnd this i P n spite of the fact that the considerable Ml m pno- greatty
reduced the cash value of the 5 per cent, ad joZorem duties. I beg to bring
to the notice of the Government of India the excellent work done by Mr^
Bower in reorganizing the Customs of Bahrain and helping the Pohtica
Agent to evolve order in the general finances of the jirmcipality from the
absolute chaos into which they had fallen during the faineant rule of Shaikh
Isa It is a great pity that neither Bm Saud nor Shaikh Ahmed of Euwa
wish to <*et the Nejd-Kuwait Customs dispute settled and that
the Shaikh of Kuwait does not even want his Customs put on a sound basis.
4. I have dealt with all the principal points raised in Foreign and
Political Department telegram, No. 1688-S. (Serial ho. 246), dated 8
December 1923 and in the Political Agent’s letter enclosed herewith, m
mv express letter No. 712-S, dated 21st December 1923—a copy of which
^attached for ready reference—and I do not consider it necessary to go
into them again.
My recommendations are—
(i) A British Customs Director and Financial Adviser. In antmi-
pation of sanction and in pursuance of re “fA
the last sentence of the portion of my letter No. 622-S. (be
No 225) dated 10th November dealing with the reorganiza
of the Customs (see last line page 7 and first line page 8 ), L
got into communication with Mr De Grenier a
accountant who has worked in Baghdad and Bushire, and who
L known to me, and have offered him the
Director for three years. He has accepted and is >
believe on the way out; although no contract has yet been
signed’ it would be a decided breach of faith not to engage
him now. However with the example of Muscat before my
eyes (not to mention the previous state of Bahrain Customs
which was certainly better run by the Hindus than it would
have been by local Arabs) I consider it essential to have an
Fullishman in charge at any rate for some years until every-
fdng hS been stereotyped, and a check can be kept on rece Pt s
and expenditure by an outsider simply from the average oi
previous years. In addition, as pointed out by the Political
Agent Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad prefers to have an English
Director. I trust therefore Government will approve of my
action.