Page 570 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

550 Records of Bahrain

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Thoso facts convinced mo tlmt necessary largo
schemes of development cannot be undortakon with the
prosent Btaff. Hence my ))ropo3als in this regard. They
wore made hurriodly because X thought it G33ontial to try
to obtain Rolgravo'c co-operation before ho goo3 on leavo
at the ond of this month, Smith will them take ovor and
v/ill bo left with neither the authority, nor perhaps, tho
ability, to obtain the Sheikh's co-operation in undertaking
mujor schemes. On Belgrave's return tho situation v/ill
not have improved and next summer will bo a repetition of
this one - with no progress to show.
4. You will see from the memorandum enclosed that
U3 rogaTds staff both Belgrave and the Sheikh consented
only to fill posts which existed before the war. I may
add that since these conversations Belgrave has told mo that
for P.W.D. work all ho wants i3 an Indian and ho asked my
consent, and I gave it, for advertisement in the Indian
. / papers for a man to fill tho lWY.i). post. The "Oil gauger"
will, of course, cost the State nothing since his salary
will bo paid out of tho dues levied on Bapco's buyers for
the gauging done for thorn, - so that as regards staff we
are precisely whore wo wore before the war. Incidontully,
when I told Belgrave that Sir Geoffrey prior had offered
to obtain a man for the oil gauging in London, ho said
that he would do it himself when ho went on leave.
5. The second depressing conclusion v/hich emerges
from my conversations is that the Shoikh is attempting to
mako the settlement of the Qatar question on his torms a
condition precedent of any progress in Bahrain. I hope
to address you separately regarding this quostion. All
I can say hero i3 that v/o cannot allow the sheikh to rauintair
this attitude though it v/ill bo exceedingly difficult to
shako him from it and at tho samo time to get his co-opera-
tlon in major schemes for improvement.
6. A3 you arc aware, circumstances at tho moment
make any proposals for radical changes in Che Bahrain Set-up
out of the quostion; and I am inclined to doubt whether
a real plan of improvement is feusible v/ithout such changes.
Nevertholess, I have one proposal that may suve something
from the wreck of ny perhaps too ambitious four-year plan.
I propose, if you approve, to telegraph through my office
to Belgrave. I would state that it is understood that
the Sheikh approves of the plan for a pumped water,
including drinking water supply. (Steele, the State
ISnginoor, got as fur, in Mr. Woightman’s timo, a3 oulling
quotations for the necessary machinery). I would ask
Belgrave to confirm in writing to mo thut he had loft
instructions with Loigh before he goes on leavo to order
the machinery and got on with tho project, It would
obviously be asking too much to demand fbom Belgrave plans
for Road Repair and Construction and Town planning bofore
ho goes on louvo. In any cuso, there i3 not tho staff to
ourry them out. When Loigh hao his now generator inotnllod
the electric supply, I understand, should at any rato bo
adequate for tho next year or ao. It hus given such poor
service to tho Royal Air Force, the Navy, and B.O.A.C. that
I am pretty certain that these concerns will shortly instal

/their own. • •