Page 43 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf) 1907-1953

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protect orate Powers, more especially in tho recent
cases of attacks on Persian and German subjects
iu Palirein............
“If Jlis Majesty’s Government consider it
feasible in the circumstances to assumo juris­
diction over foreigners in Bahrein, we would
recommend that this should he done, and also
that the Order in Council should, if possible, ho
so framed as to enable the Political Agent to
perform tho functions of a notary public.”

Summary.
Tho political position at Bahrein may bo
summarized as follows :—
Ilis Majesty’s Government have repudiated
the Persian claim to sovereignty nine times—in
1822, 1825, 1814, 1848, 1601, 1862, 1669, 1900,
and 1907, and the Turkish claim nineteen times
—in 1639, 1851, 1670, 1874 (twice), 1875,
187G, 1879, 1SS8, 1892 (twice), 1893 (three
times), 1895 (twice), 1890, and 1905 (twice);
while in 1871 the Grand Vizier of Turkey gave a
formal assurance “ that the Porte entertained no
intention whatever of obtaining the supremacy
over Bahrein.”
On the other hand, His Majesty’s Government
have themselves had direct relations with Bahrein
since 1805; these relations have bccomo increas­
ingly intimate in charuclcr, and have found
concrete expression in a series ‘of Treaties
concluded in 1820, 1847, 1856, 1661, 1868, 1680,
and 1892, and having as their objects the
suppression of piracy and the slave trade, the
regularity of the succession to the throne, tho
protection of the island against foreign control or
aggression, and the assertion of British predomin­
ance. His Majesty’s Government have repeatedly,
and with increasing authority, intervened in the
internal affairs of the island, notably in 1845, in
1859 when the rival Sheikh was incarcerated in
an Indian fortress, in 1861, in 1869 when a naval
demonstration took place, in 1693 to recognize
tho ruling Sheikh's son as successor-designate
to the Chiefship, and again in 1904-5 forcibly
to effect the punishment of offenders who
had assailed German and Persian subjects,
and to remove certain abuses affecting public
security and the wolfarc of foreigners. Moreover,"
in virtue of tho Treaty of 1861, the British Agent
has exercised important judicial powers in tho
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