Page 41 - Records of Bahrain (5) (i)_Neat

Visits of Shaikh Sir Hamad bin ‘Isa al-Khalifah, 1936 29

INDIA OFFICE,
WHITEHALL, S.W.l
P.Z.3473/36. 23rd May, 1936.
IMMEDIATE.
Sir,

1 am directed by the Secretary of State for India
to inform you that His Excellency the Sheikh of Bahrein
is proposing to pay a visit to England this summer
arriving about the middle of June.
;
The Sheikh io the ruler of a state in the Persian

Gulf which is of peculiar political and strategic
importance to His Mujesty's Government (with whom he is
in special treaty relations) and his attitude towards
His Majesty's Government has ulwuys been most satisfactory.

The Political Resident in the Persian Gulf has recommended
that His Excellency should be entertained as a guest of
Governmentj the Government of India support this
recommendation, and Lord Zetland concurs in it.
As regards the period during which His Excellency

should be a Government guest, Lord Zetland would have
recoimacndcd on the basis of earlier precedents that the
period in the present case should be one month. His
Lordship understands, however, that in recent years it

has been generally considered that 10 days or a fortnight
wa3 a sufficient period for the entertainment of
distinguished visitors from overseas, and that the Amir
Saud on his visit to this country lc&t summer was
entertained officially for a period of a fortnight.
He accordingly r ecommcnds that the Sheikh of Bahrein

should be entertained by Ills Majesty^ Government for a
fortnight from the date of his arrival in England,
The Secretary, arrangements/
Government Hospitality .Fund,
Treasury Chambers,
S. W. 1