Page 339 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

Reforms and unrest, 1923

MU/XM/h'.* (416 gross' 2539«
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COPY OF TELEGRAM, tf\ J
From "Knox"0 Buahire0 to Secret
of State for the ColonioB<
Dated Buehire,, 9th May,; 1923©
■0. ; Rocoived 11th May,, 1923tt 11-30 a<,m«
#
XX
(Trannferred from Colonial Office to India
0mcf;)u
(}('■! • Your 592«S„ In ray opinion all the facts are
not before HI a Majesty"o Government© Sheikh of Bahrein9 a
case has not been fully presented and sufficient
consideration not paid to Sunni point of view. Further
Persian challenge was not before permanent- incumbent when
he wrote-. It is now directed not at our conduct of affairs
but at our main position. Persian Government v/ill probably
take BahreJ" "act- before International Tribunal whero our
arrogant claim to protect all the world in Bahrein and
interference with Sheikh Isa * s independence will bear
invidious aspect* Things will look even worse if in the

meantime we have net aside an old man who must die soon,
and Sheikh Hamad will share in the odium which our action
will excitej and hie usefulness be thereby destroyed©
Refojir.atioii will not placate Persian
hostility but rather provoke the larger issue(s) wo are
•anxious to avoid* Further as Sheikh Isa is quite incapable
of organised reforrn, action proposed by India, will
«•
certainly mean the Sheikhas deposition and deporting
Abdoolla and., worse still,, hi* mother* These measures must
set Sunni Sheikha and Ibn Baud aguinet u.s at a time when

le.^ai'a yuiv:idy .in being stopped* Incidentally they will
Involve considerable expanse.. Tinned l&te ticks are therefore
enormous* but in any case as a matter of principie 9apart
from expediency,, T do not agree that- ’’miaivlc has reached
such a pitcVi"* Muttern are no worse than the state of
affairs »ve have tolerated for 5v-ur.ty yoarcu We huve

no