Page 222 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

210 Records of Bahrain
CONFIDENTIAL British Residency & Consulate-General,
No. 172-fl Bunhlrc,
the 6th Pobrunry, 1946.

Prom
Tho Hon'ble 81r Geoffrey Prior, K.C.I.K.,
Political Resident, Porolan Gulf,
B U (i 11 I R E.
To
Tho flecretnry to tho Government of India
In the External Affaire Department.
NEW DELHI.

Sir,
I have the honour tcTrofer to External Affairs
Department Letter No. D. I8201-UE/44 of the 21st
Docerabor, 1944, regarding the Bahrain Report, 1362.
2. I rogret to say that I have not yet found
time to road this Roport, but the facta are noil
known to mo and there la no difficulty in answering
the question raised. In tho first placo Xy consider
tho presont moment most Inopportune for suggesting
any reduction in the Privy Purse, as It would almost
inevitably load to a request for moro money, which
His Highness has not bo far made, and which might be
difficult to refuse. It must be ramorabered that the
Ruling Family in Bahrain now receivo almost exactly
the aumo amounts they drow in 1941. although tho coat
of living has troblod, and, since their financial
position has obviously greatly deteriorated they would
consider It most inequitable to be asked at this
stage to exist on smaller stlponda.

3. I would aloo deprecate analogies being drawn
from Indian Statos and applied to the Persian Gulf,
whero they have little real rolovance. Colonel Barrett,
who was a very oxporionood Political Officer with Arabs,
s to tod in 19.27 or 1928 uhon the late Shaikh Hamad was
making one of his periodical demands for monoy, that
the A1 Khallfah considered that tha rovonues of the
State belonged to them, and that any portion they
surrendered for tho use of tho administration must bo
regarded as an aot of grace. This position still oxlsta
In Kuwait, with which the Bahrain Family could appro­
priately oompare themselves, and also fyi Saudi Arabia
to whom, and not to an Indian Stato, their eyes would
naturally turn. It la impossible to raovo very far in
advance of public opinion In thoBO States, and so far
as I know the handsome allowances paid to tho A1
Khallfah aro regardod rather as a tribute to our
administrative ability than an opproeeion which should
bo alleviated 2 In fact, If I wero to attempt to
roduca tho allowances now, thore lo not the slightest
doubt thut I should be accused of starving the Ruling