Page 198 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

614 Records of Bahrain

CONFIDENTIAL *

Foiltloal Agenoy, Bahrain,
no.
dated the loth Uarohv drq*

•io
vho Deputy Political Kesldont In the Persian uulf,
BUCK 1 RE,

WhKOKANOUtt P.l-L*
Peferenoe your telegram No, B&3 dated 10th Haroh,
10 PO.
tiubjeot roduotlon of Cuetom duty on ^tranship*
goods, nohr&ln,
Aooordlng to your instruction given me in your
above mentioned telegram, 1 yesterday paid an offiolal
visit to Shaikh lea and dleoussed the question on the
llnee suggested by you* Shaikh Hamad was present at the
interview, I was particularly oareful to approaoh the
matter in as friendly a way as poeelble and in repeating
what you told mo I took the line that you were anxious to
appear in the light of a friendly advisor. I emphasixsd
the point that Pin Saud was also a friend of ills
Uajeoty'e uovommont and had appealod to you to adjudloate
the matter* You wore bound to look at the question from
the point of view of a neutral, and any advloe you gave
was of nooeeslty otriotly impartial* Din Oaud, I sold, had
a grlevanoe In that at almost every port in the world It
wee oue tomary to take a minimum out too duty from tranship
goods, ouoh duty in plaoee lUe Basrah being 1 % only# and
in Bombay 1 believed ^
From tho very opening of toy conversation, X oould
see, shaikh Isa's mind was made up#even though Shaikh
Hamad did all ho oould to persuade hie father to adopt a
reaeonablo attitude;flialkh lea, having let me say all
I had to nay, replied that on no condition, whatsoever,
would he agroo to reduoing tho present rate of 0 % to
8* 1» merely in order to ploaee Bln Oaud* Bln 6aud night