Page 154 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

144 Records oj Bahrain

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Tho establishment of tbo Bank in Bahrein should, in my opinion, rccoivo
every cncouvagomout at our hands, as tondiug to iucrcaso tho commercial pros­
perity of tho i)laco, and at tho samo time to advance our own political interests.

Translation of a letter from Siieiku Isa-mn-Ali, Chief of Bahrein, to tho Political Rosidout
in tho Persian Gulf, dated 16th Snfar 1318 (14th Juno 1900).
After compliments.—I rocoivcd your favour on tho 6th instant, intimating
that Mr. Van Lounop, Manager of tho Imperial Bank of Porsia, Shiraz,
proposes to hold a conversation with mo with rofcrcnco to certain mattors
concerning their own business. Ho arrived hero and I had tho pleasure of
seeing him. Ho lot mo understand his views, but as our locality is a small ono,
it cannot afford to support a bank which, generally speaking, is requisite and
usoful in big towns. Tho merchants hero conduct mcrcantilo transactions
among thomsolvcs, and, in tho ovpnt of opening a.bank here, tho commercial
pursuits will bo prejudiced as tho bonofits will go to a .'foreigner.' Under tho
above circumstances, I havo thought it nccossary to lot you know about it.

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Forolgo Offico drou—No. 1404-10.7*00—CO,