Page 164 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

154 Records of Bahrain

contract, as against 11s. 80,000 which had been paid in provious years, Tho'
oauso of this increase is that the Chief has enhanced tho. ratos of tho import
and oxport duos from 4 por cont. to 0 por cent.
4. I informod tho Sheikh that 1 was surprised to hear of what ho had douo,
and thought his notion in renewing tho contract was ill-advisod in tho faco of
what I had told him last yoar. •'That I had fully roliod on liis consulting mo
hoforo making any fresh arrangements about the .working of his Customs, and
I regretted ho had not consulted mo for his own snko, as tho arrangement sug­
gested would considerably increaso his inoorno and strengthen his authority.
6. Up to that .time I had not told Shoikh Esa of tho decision of tho Gov.
eminent of India regarding tho recognition of his son, and, as his action in re­
gard to tho Customs, as well in other mattors, which form tho subject of
other separate'roports, contained in tho lottors noted in tho margin, nppearod
unsatisfactory, I dccidod to report again
■ No. 26. tinted-12th March 1800. to you hoforo informing, him of tho
No. 20, dtUul 12th March 1800.
intentions of Government. If the Gov­
ernment of India,after., rocoiving this ■ report,-’ still considor tho recognition
of tho Shoikh’s son. should ho communicatod to him at onoo, it can bo done
without delay ,at any ti.mo, but once it is dono, ho will considor himsolf secure,
\yhilo as long as ho is unawaro of it, wo havo a certain moans of pressing him
to Improve his affairs iu tho hopo of obtaining the recognition.
; 6. Tho Sheikh’s action in regard to his Customs is, I havo no doubt, duo to
tho difficulty ho finds in obtainig sufficient roady money to meet all the calls
on him, and I boliovo that ho was to a cortain extout forcod into tho arrango-
mont by thoBanias, to whom ho is always indobtod.
7. I think that if Government could 6oc their way to advancing tho Sheikh
a sum of money, with which ho could cloar off his debts to the Customs far­
mers, on the condition of his cutrusting tho oliargo of his Customs to an officer
lent by tho Government of India, that a settlement of this matter could bo
offocted without much difficulty, and I am of opinion that such an arrangomont
would effect a great improvement in our commercial and political relations
with tho island..
.8.. Though Sheikh Esa is. apparently ablo, under Artiole 4 of tho Conven­
tion of 1861,.to demand 6 per cont. ad valorem duty on British goods, it sooms
open to question if ho should havo altered the provious rate of duty without
informing the British authorities, and I think tho time has come to toll him
tiiat w'o oxpoct to bo consulted in such mattors. I heard, tnoroovor, just hoforo
I loft Bahrein,, that ho lovics.small dues and cesses on certain • goods without’
reference to any one, and that tho.money thus realized is not part of tho Cus­
toms farm. If this is t-ruo any such irregular imposts should bo provonted. I
am making further enquiries on tho point.
, • *; • •'••••’’ .' • •
9, The imports of :Babrein are statod last year to havo come to Itb. 65,17,410
at which tho duty lie is now- charging would oomo to Rs. 2,75,870. It is clear,
therefore, that the Hindu tradors who have tho Customs farm, must ho making
largo profits, ond thatundor proper management tho Sheikh’s income could
be considerably inoroasod, after a suffioiont sum has boon deducted to meot
all tho expenses of management. I spoke soriously to the Shoikh on the various
subjects which came up for discussion during my rocont visit, and I propose
giving him a cortain time to fchiijk matters over before I again addroas .him. I
trust my own aotion- in this matter may be approved, and that I may ho . fur­
nished with further instructions as to, tho course the Government of India now
wishos to take. • -
i • 2 •
• 2 • c •

■