Page 110 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

100 Records of Bahrain
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Telegram, dated tho 28th January 1808.
From—Lieutenant F. B. Pridbaux, First Assistant Resident, Busluro,
To—Tho Reeidont, Jask.
I think not desirablo. My letter by Simla will oxplnin. Gray Paul’s
agont knows three languages. Gaskin tells mo nows just received that Shoikh
has attached 3,000 guns belonging to Fracis on request of our agent consoquont
on privato quarrel between him and Fracis over property at J3u6rah. Mohamcd
Rahim’s actiou in not first referring to Residency appears very improper, lie
is Turkish 6ubjeot. I am sending ono important filo by noxt mail which goes
Bahrein.

(Translation.)
Dated Bahroin, tho 5th February 1808,
From—Major M. J. Meade, Political Rcsidont, Persian Gulf,
To—Sheikh ISsa-din Alt A’l Kualipaii, Chief of Bahroin.
After compliments.—I have soon tho godowns with tho arms belonging to
Mr. Fraois. I will report about them to Government, and till ordors aro
reooivod you must understand that they aro in your charge, and you arc respon­
sible for them. You should therefore, as soon as you can, have a list proprnrod
and give Mr. Fracis a rccoipt. A copy of tho list should bo sent to mo, and
you should take suitable measures to guard the rooms, and soo that no ono
stoals the arms. I was ready to affix tho Residouoy seal on the doors, but as I
hear there aro other goods besides arms in tho godowns, which Mr. Fraois may
wish to remove, and which cannot be detained, I do not think it is any uso
sealing tho doors.

Datod Bahroin, tho 6th Fobruary 1808.
From—Major M. J. Meade, Politionl Resident, Porsian Gulf,
To—The Residency Agout, Bahrein.
I send herewith a lottor in Arabic for the Sheikh of Bahrein, which you
should baud over to him.. Please also explain clearly to him that I cannot at
present give any ordors regarding tho disposal of tho arms in Mr. Precis'
godowns. As tho Shoikh has put his looks on tho doors, I do not as yot diroot
that thoy should be roleasod; for, I presume, that tho Shoikh considered ho was
justified in taking this step, and I must enquire fully.into tho case before I can
say that he was 3ustificd. On tho other hand, however, I am not prepared to
say that tho arms should ho confiscated iD view of the provious action of tho
Sheikh in regard to arms brought into Bahrein, and tho orders of the Govern­
ment will bo neoessary. Impress, therefore, on tho Shoikh that in as much ns
ho has put his locks on the doors of tho godowns of a firm under British protec­
tion without asking for permission from tho Residency, ho is ontirely responsible
for the custody of the oontonts of the rooms, aud should, in his .own interests,
do all ho can to got a correct list of tho property in them, and to guard against
tho rooms being broken into. Unless this is carefully attended to, tho Shoikh
may hereafter find himself in an awkward position should Mr. Fracis claim
that eome of his property has disappeared while it was in the Sheikh’s custody*
Please attend very carefully to those instructions.

Memorandum by tho Political Ro6idont in tho Porsian Gulf on tho disposal of Mb, Fracis
arms at Bahrein, given to Mu, Fracis' agent on the 7th Fobruary 1808.
I found on my arrival at Bahrein that tho Sheikh has looked up some
gCuOuiiu «u which tho films in question arc stored. Mr. Fraois protests mu
against tho seizure of his arms, and statod that ho was given a concession i
importing them by tho Sheikh himself, and still holds it. Tho Residency
Agent says that tho Sheikh stipulated in tho concession that it could bo yj1
drawn at any time, and that ho askod Mr. Fraois to roturn tho doouraont tiir
months ago, but he did not do so. Until these points aro cleared up, *
unable to express an opinion as to whether tho Shoikh was justified in soizi b