Page 166 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

15G Records of Bahrain

carrying out our wislios as regards the control of tho Customs, that is, if our
representative is able to gain a proper iufluonco qvor him.
5. I do not think that it would do to havo. the. political ebargo and tho
control of tho Customs vested in tho same individual. Tho Customs oflicor
will bo, to some extont, in tho employment of the Sheikh, his services boing
lent, and will probably havo enough work to do in tlio disohnrgo of his own
immpdiato duties. Thcro.is,, on the other, hand, 1 am convinced, quite., onough
work to employ a Political Oflicor fully, especially if, as, I woul.d' suggost, ho is
ablo to visit Kowoit and the Arab Coast.
6. Improved management of tho Customs must, unfortunately, bold ovor
for the present; but-nq timo. should, I think, bo lost in arranging for-tho
appointment of a suitablo. oflicor-to represent us.at Bahrein, and I vonturo- to
yoeommond tho dqsirability of creating, suqli an appointment to tho favour­
able, consideration of-the Govoruraont of India,
• 7. Agha Muhammad,Rahim is oyer 55 years of age, and is not in. good
health. Ho ought, therefore, to.bo rotired, hut, as reported in my lottcr No. 77;
dated 18th December 1898; I did not think it advisable, to . rooommend. his
immediate retirement just now. He has beon of considerable assistanoo to mo
in recent negociations with tho. Sheikh of Koweit, and, as there seomod- a pros-
poct of an English oflicor being appointed to Bahroin, I did not think it worth
while to make recommendations for n change which might bo only a temporary
one. In rocommonding, however, tho croation of a post In • which wo will ho
reprosonted by an English official, I think I had bottor adviso that Agha
Muhammad Rahim and hia family should no longer ho associated
with us at Bahrein, and. I think this can bo dono without pros9ing
his connection with tho arms traffic against tho Agha, whoso services might,
porhaps, rocoivo some sort of recognition from tho Government of India.
Tho British official will require tho services of a oompotont Native Assistant
or Munshi, and ho .will, at first., no doubt, have to depend,' to somo oxtont,
on his ndvico. I thought, at first, of recommending -that Agha Muhammad
Itahim’s nephow, IChalool, might ho- employed in this duty, as ho is an
intelligent and able man, who can read and writo, as well’ as speak, English,,
and who is well vorsed in tho local politics of tho.place, It has, however, boon
reprosonted to mo that the attitude taken of Into yonrs by Shoikh Esa and hia
Undoubted leanings, towards tho 'lurks, aro duo to ill-feoling between‘.our Agent
and himself. Muhammad ltahim has no doubt U8ed his. position to ndvanco
liis own interests, and has made tho 8heikh fcol that lie is in. his, power to tho
extont that ho can report unfavourably about him to us if ho does not do what
the Agent wishes. There seems considerable reason to think that this is the;
case, and that our relations with Sheikh. Esa will booomo more satisfactory if
Agha; M uhnmmad ltahim and-his family havo nothing furthor to say to thorn.
Our Agent at Shurgnb, who was formerly tho Arabic Munshi-of this Residency
and is well .reported on, would probably bo a.-good scloction for Bahrein, and
if it is thought desirable to do something for- Khalcol,. ho: can ho. offered tho
post at Shargah.
8. The officer- postod .to Bahrein will bo easily ablo to visit'Koweit and tho..
Afab Coast if tliO;British-IndiaSteam Nayigation.Gompany,run-steamers along
the Arab.Coast, as. I .have .hoard, confidentially, thoy-aro thinking of doing, and*
I think, tho advantago of haying an officer, available.for this; duty .will ho-quite,
os.great.asyogards! Koweit .as.it; will be in respect to.Bahrein.itself. There will
ty3ta' considerable. dmount;.of,.work to bo, done,-and, as the oflicor selected‘should
ho.'ablo.aqd.oxporjqnqod, and .should know something of Arabia, Is vonture to
recommend that his pay and travelling allowances may .bo fixed on a liberal
scale. I will submit proposals on those and other points, such as Iiouro-accom­
modation;'officoestablishment, etc., if the Government of' India docido on tho
appointment aud'wishmo to furnish further information, i'would also ask
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