ملف رقم ٢١٨٢ لسنة ١٩١٣، الجزء ٤ "الخليج الفارسي: السياسة تجاه ابن سعود (بعثة النقيب شكسبير)" [و‎‎٥‎٩] (٤٢٦/١١٤)

3
practically held myself responsible in the past for pressing the Pir’s “ izzat,”
so far as a police officer can, I am not anxious that he should be worried by
Talib Bey.
And taking a survey of the whole situation I do not think it would be a
bad plan to give Talib Bey marching orders for Madras, and let him live there.
Now as regards Sheikh Salim A1 Khayyum, our impression is that he is a
hot-headed child of the jungle. He is absolutely and strictly orthodox, praying
five times a day, and is apparently perfectly content to live quietly! As an
Arab he is, I believe, straight. In the hearing of a third party (not a police
officer) yesterday he forbade Sheikh Abdul Rahiman to discuss the war or Gulf
affairs with him. He has never seen a motor-car, nor a train, nor electric light
and fans ; and I consider that we have a very good chance, if he is allowed & to
stay here, of completely exercising by friendly treatment any bitterness that
may be rankling in his mind against us. I should like to try the experiment,
and I propose to begin by inviting him to my bungalow on Sunday for an
interview. He has left the house of Inspector Khan Saheb P. M. Taki,
and we have taken suitable quarters for him in Paiz Manzil, Grant
Road, one floor of which is occupied by a Criminal Investigation Depart
ment Sub-Inspector, Sheikh Bahauddin, who is a collateral relative of
the Chief of Mangrol. He and Inspector Taki will be responsible for
A1 Khayyum’s education, and aided by local Mahommedans, who are well
affected towards Government, will, I believe, be able eventually to instil
into A1 Khayyum’s mind a clear appreciation of the value of British Rule.
He is not, so far as we can tell now, likely to be in the least troublesome, and I
certainly think we shall be able to make more of him, if he is left in our charge
than if he is exiled to the Deccan and placed under the formal surveillance of
the District Police.
There is some grounds for thinking that it was on a report or information
supplied by Talib Bey that Sheikh Salim was carried off by the Gulf authorities
and sent down here ; and considering Talib Bey’s past history and the reputation
that he has among the Arabs and the Jews of Basrah, that report may well have
been exaggerated, if not wholly false. Anyhow the pair are at|daggers drawn—
the only difference beicg that Sheikh Salim refuses to slander Talib Bey behind
his back.
I would therefore suggest that the Sheikh may at any rate for the present
be left to us and we will try and make a pro-English Arab of him.
I should he glad to see the last of Talib Bey, and so also would the Pir of
Baghdad.
• Telegram P., dated the 16th February 1915.
From - His Excellency the Viceroy (Foreign and Political Department), Delhi,
To—His Majesty's Secretary of State for India, London.
Bin Sand. A letter dated the 3rd Pebruary has been received from Bin
Saud by the Sheikh of Zubair in which he states that Bin Rashid was defeated
by him.
MEMORANDUM.
The papers specified in the margin were transmitted to the Secretary,
Turkish Arabia. Political Department, India Office,
London, for the information of His
Majesty’s Secretary of State for India,
under cover of the Poreign Secretary’s
letter No. 7-M., dated the Hth Pebruary 1915.
Negotiations with Bin Saud and Sayyid Talib.
Serial Nos. 64—74.