Page 196 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

186 Records oj Bahrain

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I liavo writton practically in tho samo tormfl ns tlio raossngo ratbor
nmpliflod to Cftptnin Pridcaux, nnd liavo nskod him in addition whothor ho
considers that if tho oqbo cannot bo Bottled by him and tho Chief it should wait
till Itceidont'e visit.
A. P. TREVOK.
The 8lh October 1004.

Enolosuro No. 0.
No. 342, datod tho lilh Ootobor 1904.
From—Captain A. P. Tmvor, First Assistant to tho Politics) Rosidont in tho
Porsinn Gulf,
To—Suriku Iba din Alt al Khalipah, Cbiof of Bahrein.
I liavo rcooived your lottcr datod 20th ltajab 1322 (1st Ootobor 1004),
regarding tho unfortunato inoidont whioh has hnpponod between your nophow,
8hoikh Ali bin Ahmed and Horr Bahnson, tho Gorman. 1 liavo also roooived
tho version of tho inoidont from tho opposite party, nnd it sooms to mo that it
is vory important, in.tho intorosts of all conoornod, that you should ueo your
host ondonvours to sottlo tho mattor at an oarly dato in consultation with tho
Politioal Offlcor.

Enolosuro No. 7.
No. 262, datod tho Slat Ootobor 1904.
From—Captain F. B. Pridsaux, Assistant Political Accnt, Bahroin,
To—Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., Officiating Political Rcsitlont in tho Persian Gulf.
I liavo tho honour to rofor to my predecessor's lotter No. 225, doted tho
1st Ootobor 1904, with whioh Mr. Gaskin forwarded a copy of a lottor rcooivod
from Mr. Wonokhaus on tho subjeot of a fraons that had ocourrcd in tho
lattor's oourtyard, and in which ho roported tho demands ho had mado to tho
Chiof of Bahrein for satisfaction, and nskod for your approval conoorning
thorn.
2. On looking into tho caso myself, I cannot holp thinking that tho terms
imposed by Mr, Gaskin aro unreasonably sovore, and this opinion 1 find is hold
both by Messrs. Milhorrow and Zworaor, tho other Europeans on the Island,
and also by all tho leading natives of tho placo.
Bofore, thcrofore, mooting tho subjoct at all to the Chiof, I liavo endoav-
oured to porsuado Mr. Wonokhaus to lesson his domands, but unfortunatoly
I Without SU0C089.
3. Copies of tho lotter I addroesed to Mr. Wonokhaus and of tho roply I
= rccoivcd aro oncloscd, Mr. Wonokhaus* lottcr has not olfected any ohango in
my opinion. Tho " Sukhra ” oustom boing such as it is, I do not think Sheikh
Ali’s clerk was bound to aooopt tho cooly’s word that ho was in the omploymont
of Mr. Wonokhaus until it was corroborated by Abdulla. I can find no ovidenco
that Shoikh Ali instigated tho assault on Mr. Bahnson, and if it bo conceded
that tho Sheikh's followers did not striko that gentloman accidentally, their
action can 6till bo suitably dealt with by imprisonment.
Mr. Bahnson is anxious to soo tho mon "stiokod ** but in a country so
pjuob affooted by British influence, as Bahrein, I think tho punishmont of
flogging should bo countenanced as rarely as possiblo by oursolvcs.
Lastly, thcro is no doubt, I boliovo, that iu this ooso Shoikh Isa’s aytnpa-
thicB aro strongly with 8hoikh Ali, and that if tho paymont of a flno is insisted
upon, it will bo paid solely by the Chiof himsolf. As tho lattor's impecunious
stato is woll known, I am inclinod to doprocato imposing upon him this form
of punishment whenever any alternative con bo devised to moot tho caso.
4. I shall at tho first opportunity inform Sheikh Isa that the wholo
question has been referrod to you for consideration, and I vonture to oxpress
I | tho opinion that if you consider tho torms I havo suggested too light, thoy
can be most suitably mado hoavicr by tho onhanccmont of tho poriods of
imprisonment to bo imposed on tho Shoikh’s followers or by tho lattor’s expul­
sion from tho Islands.