Joint Tribute Payable by Qatar and Bahrain to the Amir of Najd [‎532v] (4/8)

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to the Wahabee Ameer, the Bahrein Chief attacked Guttur, and piratical
proceedings on an unusually large scale, and attended by heavy loss of life and
property, ensued.
6. Government, as arbitrators of the maritime peace, intervened; and in
settling affairs, arranged that, in view to preventingc ollision between Guttur and
Bahrein, and in view further to precluding the possibility of future uncertainty
as to whether the annual tribute falling on Guttur had or had not been duly
paid, such tribute should be paid through the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. .
7. In the present year, however, and having regard to the distracted condi
tion of Guttur consequent on the Turkish invasion of the Arab coast, I
refrained from demanding the tribute.
8. Had I demanded and received it, it would have been handed over by
this Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. to the Chief of Bahrein, who would have transmitted it as a por
tion of the tribute which he pays to whomever he may acknowledge as Imam of
the Wahabees, provided always (as he asserts) that he is in amity with the Imam.
9. Government would probably deem the present moment inopportune for
discussing the question of sovereignty over Guttur. But this question will,
sooner or later, have to he met, since our trucial engagements, and the practice
of our maritime police, would oblige us to interfere in any breach of the peace
at sea as between Guttur and the other trucial chiefs.
Exd.—W. A. B.