Page 65 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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year.(J *) When the Political Agent asked the Ruler to agree to the amended article 4
he repeated to him the assurance which had previously been given to him that Her
Majesty’s Government would consult him before granting or refusing the use of
Muharraq air field for traffic purposes by scheduled services other than British.(”*)
At the same time he entered a caveat that while Her Majesty’s Government would
give full consideration to his wishes on such an occasion, they could not in view of
their responsibility for his foreign relations bind themselves to accept them.
130. A Mission of the Ministry of Civil Aviation which visited the Persian
Gulf in 1953 made it clear that their main interest there was the retention by
Her Majesty's Goevrnment of the necessary control at Muharraq aerodrome and
of the right to grant or withhold traffic rights applied for by foreign operators
wishing to use Bahrain.(2tt3) The question of security of tenure at the Muharraq
aerodrome was of particular importance in view of the proposal to build a new
runway at the cost of £500,000. The Civil Air Agreement of 1934 was due to 1
expire in 1955 and a new agreement had been drafted with a view to obtaining
security of tenure before work on the new runway started. Both the new agreement
and new runway were discussed with the Financial Adviser who expected the
Ruler to raise difficulties only over the amount to be paid to him under the
agreement. The Bahrain Government had in 1952 agreed to the rectification
of the boundaries of the Muharraq aerodrome without any difficulty and raised
no difficulty in principle to the acquisition of additional land for the new runway,
negotiations for which continued during 1953.(2C4)
(/) Slavery
131. In 1937 Shaikh Hamad issued a decree reminding the public that it
was forbidden to own slaves in Bahrain (Appendix K). The Political Resident
reported in 1952 that long before the issue of this decree the Bahrain Courts had
refused to recognise the existence of slavery, but that it was probable there were
still someservants whom their masters regarded as slaves.(265) The local Government
Courts refuse to admit any case in which rights of ownership in a slave are a point
at issue, since should such a case reach a Shara Court it could not avoid treating
slavery as a legal institution.
(g) Arms
132. In 1898 the Ruler issued a decree prohibiting the import and export of
arms and ammunition in accordance with the undertaking^06) which he had given in
that year to Her Majesty’s Government, together with a proclamation granting 1
British and Persian men-of-war the right to search Bahrain vessels for arms and
ammunition (Appendix L (i)). The prohibition of the import and export of arms and
ammunition was repeated in a decree of 1936 which also provided for the licensing ;
of arms. This decree was applied to persons subject to the Order in Council by a
King’s Regulation.(2*7) In a revised version of the 1936 decree issued in 1943
provision was made for arms to be imported and exported with the permission of
the Bahrain Government (Appendix L (ii) ).(2',K) In addition to the Bahrain
Government’s permission any person desirous of importing arms has in practice
also to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Political Agent (chapter 1,
paragraph 42), and the Bahrain authorities will not ordinarily allow the import into
the country of any arms not covered by such a certificate. In 1950 the Ruler issued
a notice forbidding the hunting of game without his permission (Appendix L (iii) )•
(h) Banks
133. In 1920 a branch of the Eastern Bank was opened in Bahrain.
There was no formal agreement with the Ruler but his permission was
obtained. In 1944 with the Ruler’s concurrence the Imperial Bank of Iran (now
the British Bank of the Middle East) was allowed to open a branch in Bahrain. At
the same time the Ruler gave an undertaking not to permit any other bank to open
a branch in Bahrain for ten years (Appendix M (i) and (ii)). The Ruler formally
opened new premises of the Imperial Bank of Iran in 1950 and of the Eastern Bank
in 1951.
The Regulation issued in January 1954 (No. I of 1954).
(a‘J) P R to F.O. 1388/1/53 of January 7, 1953 (GA 60/5 of 1953).
(«3) M.C.A. to F.O. SG60/16/02of July 16. 1953 (GA 105/16 of 1953).
(*M) Acquisition was completed in 1954 and the grant by the Ruler included the area*
previously leased to the Air Ministry so that the whole aerodrome has become the property of £
Hcr ^.sjCpyRS to0FeonmDcspatch 50 of May 12. 1952 (EA 2181 /4 of 1952).
(”•) No. 7 I. T.C.
(”•) P.RmoF.O. Despatch 83 of June 20, 1951 (EA 1192/6 of 1951).