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File 522/1922 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein affairs: Retirement of Shaikh Isa; Reforms' [‎35v] (79/804)

The record is made up of 1 volume (394 folios). It was created in 6 Feb 1922-20 Mar 1924. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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U
■ „ 0 -tahip man on the terms offered and,
should be no difficulty m engagi ^ Director before Mr. Bower
as , departure as possible to avo.d an
goes or at al! ewents as making inquiries at once,
interregnum, I prop o There can be no doubt that a small Levy
(2) Small / 0 ”7/ 0 ^ J ! S ro ke r government of Bahrain. Probably 200
Force is an essential to ti e P P & having regard to the revenues
s S“ srR&asS sst a t—. w w .m..»«
t the first instance Local Arab material is quite unsuitable and it would
not be expedient to employ Persians as bein f Baluehis° numbL^f
I consider therefore that it would be best to employ iJaluoms, numoers ot
whom are employed round the Gulf in various capacities and to whom the
Arabs are quite Lustomed. In a recent report Mr. Wingate stated that
he proposed to reduce the Muscat Levies by 100 men; perhaps therefore a
sufficient number of Arabic speaking trained Baluchis to form a nucleus
for the new force could be obtained from Muscat.
Had such a force existed the recent iNejd-I ersian riots could have
been nipped in the bud, if they had taken place, which seems unlikely if
there had been a force in being to preserve order; further the Dowasir could
have been prevented from leaving Bahrain, and tribal headmen would not
have dared to defy Shaikh Hamad. In short the Kuling Shaikh would
never have been so impotent and afraid of the Sunni tribes had he had a
small force at his command. Shaikh Hamad is naturally most anxious
to have such a force.
But it is essential that the force should be w 7 ell disciplined and loyal;
a badly organized rabble would be a positive danger as it would even
in such a state be stronger than anything which could be mobilized
against it, and therefore might be used by its own officers or mal
contents to overthrow the Bahrain Government. To ensure discipline
it would, in my opinion, be necessary to engage a British officer, or ex
officer, to raise it and command it. With such a small force to ask for a
British Officer seems to resemble using a steam hammer to crack an egg,
and besides to incur unnecessary expenditure. But I see no help for it.
No local men appear to have any aptitude or inclination for military work,
I apart from knowledge or energy; an Indian officer would probably be capable
; of raising and training such a small force; but such an appointment would
be intensely unpopular and wnuld be resented by all classes. In the cir-
cumstances I think a British officer must be employed; the services of one
could doubtless be obtained for under Rs. 1,000 per mensem inclusive. It
^i 0 nna e< ^ P a y 0iC new Customs Director should start on
Ks 1,000, so the cost of these two officers would not at first exceed that of
km r 0 J er 7v° Se emol " s are Es - 2 > 000 mensem, an expenditure
o ahram rf te J 10 Acuity in making. As soon as the
estinmter! T 0i s ^ ate can more or less accurately
estimated, I will submit proposals for the establishment of a small Levy
suggest therefore the deputation of
ks\3be of tlnce ^ ? ^ikingXowIedyof "c
t0 deal Wlth
Government of
lnma a PProve of this proposal in princinle I wPl o i / v
much detail as I can give but T W r l 1 111 submit a scheme with as
subject to give any detaM estimsfl Al™ n0t allffioien ‘ ; knowledge of the
held by the A1 Sfalifa familv k A S reat deal of ‘be land
filched from the original BahJaini holders 0 ’ifu ;Tr ^ undo , ub p dl y been
rectify the oppression of years and I wniVin ^ 1 not n be possible however to
can furnish proof of possession for a rlafi * su £? est when a landowner
to the land should be^Sered valid tG Peri ° d ’ ten ^ ears ’ his tight

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Correspondence, minute papers, memoranda, and draft papers concerning reforms in Bahrain. The principal correspondents are officials at the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , Foreign Office, and the Government of India (Foreign and Political Department). Further correspondence, mostly included as enclosures, comes from the Colonial Office, Admiralty, 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Prescott Trevor), 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. in Bahrain (Major Clive Kirkpatrick Daly), British Legation in Tehran, British Consulate in Damascus, High Commissioner in Palestine, 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. (Political Department), and Government of India (Finance Department).

Throughout the file the papers deal with reports and complaints of the oppression of the Baharna by their Sunni rulers and those connected to them. The British response to the situation is then discussed and communicated. Matters covered include:

  • The need for administrative reform to redress inequalities in the system
  • The proposal to press for the deportation of Shaikh Abdullah, one of the ruling Shaikh Isa's sons and someone thought to be largely responsible for injustices committed against the Shia Baharna
  • Agitation in the Persian press in response to perceived injustices, highlighting Persia's claim to Bahrain
  • The forced retirement of Shaikh Isa and the instalment of his son, Hamad, in his stead
  • Trouble between the Baharna and the Dawasir tribe (loyal to Ibn Saud of Nejd) in Budaiya and the proposal to bombard the village.
Extent and format
1 volume (394 folios)
Arrangement

The volume is arranged in chronological order from the rear to the front.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 392; these numbers are written in pencil and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The front and back covers, along with the leading and ending flyleaves have not been foliated.

Written in
English in Latin script
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File 522/1922 Pt 1 'Persian Gulf: Bahrein affairs: Retirement of Shaikh Isa; Reforms' [‎35v] (79/804), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/1039, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100075142827.0x000050> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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