Page 183 - Records of Bahrain (7) (i)_Neat
P. 183

Constitutional reforms, 1955               169

                                  CONFIDENTIAL

          Bahrain telegram No.629 to Foreign Offloe
                                            - 2 -

          domonatrationa I consider it very important that it should bo
          prcoorved from attack, particularly under the present circumstances.

               3. I alao proposo to suggest to the Ruler that after
          Moharram, i.o, after August 29, he should issue general warning,
          against fomenting trouble, saying that if it arose ho would
          deal with it firmly (if necessary, but this would not be said in
          the proclamation, with our support). This might also be the
          moment to put guard on the Agency as evidence of our intentions.
                                    t£7\ /i$fyz.
               4% I regard this as/an oocasioirY/here consideration set
          out in your despatch No. 110 of July 13 applies. V/c cannot allow
          "disruption of Government in a British protected State". But
          to do this it will bo neoessary to take preventive action before
          the local situation gets out of hand,
               5.  If the Ruler agrees, I propose as a precaution to land
          naval force from H.M, ship Flamingo within naval base on the
          morning of August 29, which is the danger period of Moharram,
          After that force would not be landed until the eve of the strike,
          except perhaps to provide guard for the Agency,

               6,  I hold meeting of L,D,C. (PG) this morning at which the
          whole question wa3 discussed, B.D.C.C. has been asked provisionally
           to alert force A from 0001 September 1 and H.M. ship Loch Lomond
          has been recalled from Kuwait.

               Foreign Offico pass Immediate to B.M.E.O. as ray telegram No.53.
                (Repeated to B.M.E.O,]

          DISTRIBUTED TO                             ADVANCE COPIES
          Eastern Department                         Private Secretary
          News Department                            Sir H. Caccia
                                                     Mr. Pink
                                                     Mr. Shuckburgh
                                                     Head Eastern Department
                                                     Head Nev/s Department
                                                     Resident Clerk


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