Page 157 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British interests and influence, 1898-1904 147

No. 295, tinted Bushiro, tho 21th December 1900.
From—Lieutrnant-Colonf.l C. A. Kendall, Officiating Political Resident m
tho Porainu Gulf,
To—Tlio Secretary to tho Government of India, Foreign Department.
I bavo tho honour to report that I liavo boon informed by tho Assistant
Political Agent at Bahrein that Mr. R. Wankhaus, a member of a Gorman
firm of Hamburg, who visited Bahrain recently, gave him to understand,
that it was his intention to opon a branch of his business at Bahrein. Mr.
Wankhaus has boon doing business in Lingah for somo years, and I forward,
for tho information of tho Government of India, a memorandum regarding him,
prepared by ray First Assistant, and rocontly forwarded to the General Super*
intendont, Thagi and Dakaiti Department.
2. Tho quostion has now to bo considered as to what courso tho Assistant
Political Agent should pursuo with rcfcrcuco to mercantile and other eases
which may ariso between subjects of tho Chief of Bahrein and Mr. Wankhaus
or his agent at Bahrein. Tho Chief of Bahrein is precluded, by tho agreomont
ontcrod into by him with tho British Govornmont in 1880, from granting per­
mission for the establishment by any other Govornmont than tho British of
diplomatic or consular agencies in Bahrein, and, this being so, it seoms to mo
that tho correct courso to pursue, with regard to tho eases alluded to abovo, will
bo for tho Assistant Political Agent at^ Bahrein to deal with such eases as if
they woro eases botwoon British subjects and subjects of tho Bahrein Chief.
Tho matter is of considerable importance, and I shall bo glad to learn if my
viow is approved by tho Govornmont of India.

MEMORANDUM.
With rofcronco to Captain Pridoaux’s memorandum No. 202, dated 12th
March 1000, and tho visit of tho Gorman Vice-Consul to a Mr. Wankhaus at
Lingah, it may bo of uso if somo particulars of tho latter aro put on record.
It appears that Mr. Itobort Wankhaus is a mombor of tho Hamburg firm of
Poms and Sturkon, and was employed by thorn for somo years in establishing
agoncics in Madagascar. Whon tho'Fronch took over tho island, the firm
began to find restrictions on trado so irksome that they contomplatcd giving it
up and sent Mr. Wankhaus to tho Gulf to sco if thoro was an opening for trado
thoro.
Wr. Wankhaus camo to tho Gulf in 1897, and since then has lived mostly
at Lingah j ho was joinod in 1898 by another German namod Franko, who had
bcon connected with sovoral unsuccessful commercial ontorpriscs at Bushiro and
Shiraz. Thoir business has been mostly in oyster shells which they export to
Hamburg.
Mr. Franko loft for Gormany in July this yoar, and Mr. Wankhaus
visitod Bahrain in Soptembor and stayed thoro about a month. From several
conversations -with him, Mr. Gaskin, tho Assistant Political Agent, was of
opinion that ho did not moddlo with politics, but sinco thon information has
bcon rccoivod that ho wont ovor to tho Oman coast, and by a trick got hold
of copios of tho British treaties with somo of tho Truoial Chiofs. This is not
of importance, as tho troatios aro not socrot, but it looks as if Mr. Wankh.aus was
busying himsolf in getting information for tho Gorman Govornmont; and our
Agont at Lingah reports that ho corresponds with tho Gorman Logation at
Tehran,

No. 1211, dated Bushiro, tko 14th Dcccmbor 1900.
Endoraod by Special Branch Aesiatant, Bushiro.
for information t0 ^°n0ia* Superintendent, Thagi and Dakaiti Department,