Page 197 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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British influence and foreign interests, 1904-1906

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Enoloeuro No 8.
No. 248, dntod tlio 28th Ootobor 1004.
From—Captain F. II. Piudbaux, A«iiitaat Politioal Agont Bahrein,
To—IIkkii Hodirt Wonokuaus, Bahrain.
I havo been oonsidoring the caso roportod by you to ray prodoooBsor in
rogord to whioli you olaim compensation froui Shoikh All bin Ahmod al Khalifah
for tlio assault committed by bis sorvnnt9 on your Assistant, Mr. Bahnson.
Having hoard botli sides and raado further indopondont onquirics, I think
that tho following aro tho points of iiuportauco to bo noted, thoro having hoop
errors of judguiout and improper notions on both sido9, thoao on tho Shoikh a
undoubtedly propoudorating.
Tho first mistako of oourso was committed whon Shoikh Ali's man rofused
to givo up your firm's bag to your man, Abdullah. The latter, howovor, thon
orrod still moro seriously whon ho ondenvoured to rooovur tho bag by foroo, used
langungo whioli was caloulntcd to aocontunto tho quarrel, and ondou by striking
tho Shoikh’s servant with tho latlor's own stick. At this point it will bo
noticed that Mr. Buhnson was assisted by auothor sorvant of tho ShoikU's to
termiunto tho fight, and if mattora had looally boon oarriud no furthor, I think
your sorvant would havo boon adjudicated to bo tho greator olfoador. I have
hcon told that ho has an ovorbearing mannor whioli in a caso like tho ono undor
consideration was not advantageous to your intorests. 8hoikh All, howovor,
immediately lost all hisadvantago by sonding poromptorily round for Abdullah,
thon entering your promises without oonsonting to sco Mr. Bahnson, striking
Abdullah and permitting his followers to thrash ono of your coolios who pad
no concern with the caso, but who was presumably believed to bo tho original
starter of it.
At this stngo Mr. Bahnson committod on error of judgment by going
down iuto tho 1116I60 instead of sonding round word either to Shoikh Isa's cliiof
ropresontativo on tho Island or to Mr. Gaskin, tho British Politioal Officer.
I do not believo that Shoikh Ali himself had any intention of causing
Mr. Bahnson to bo beaten, and it is difficult to say whethor tho sorvants struck
him accidentally or through oxasporatiou at bis intervention. At any rate it
does not appoar that tlio oooly was very much hurt, and tlio injury dono to Mr.
Bahnson's sonso of dignity was probably groater than that ooramittod on bis por-
sou. Tho fraons seoms to huvo subsidod of itsolf before your arrival on tlio scone,
and tbo faot that Sheikh Ali acoompaniodiyou upstairs iudioatos, I think, that ho
was anxious to settle tlio affair amicably. I prosumo that ho loft you boforo
Mr. Gaskin’s arrival on gottingsomo idea of tho terms which you oontomplatod
demanding of him and bocauso ho thought thorn unroasonablo.
Tho systom of Sukhra is, as you know, ono of long standing—a right
onjoyed by all tho mombors of tbo Ruling Pamily of Babroin and othor Arab . I
StaUw, ovor the pepsaut class, and is not to bo abolishod without thooxcroisoj
of a good deal of diplomaoy or without timo. Shoikh Ali’s sorvant has been
punished for not roalizing that tbo cooly who startod tbo troublo was your
cmployco by tbo boating ho received from Abdulla.
Abdulla has atonod for his mistakos lby submitting quietly to tho chastise­
ment givou him by Shoikh Ali.
If Mr. Bahnson had followed tlio proper courso ho would not havo boon
assaulted, and thoroforo I do not think I can support bis claim for personal
pecuniary compensation, but it is of oourso a vory grave offonco for an Asiatio to
assault a «3uropoan without just provocation, and I shall insist on tbo ooolics
whom ho can idontify on oath as having struck him being punishod by tbo
Shoikh of Bahrein. 1 think that a month's imprisonment would bo tbo most
6uitablo form of punishmont;
th8 rS?a,rd8 Sboikh Ali I boliovo that a formal apology tendorod to yoursolf
and Mr. Bahnson for bis unlawful intrusion upon, and actions on your promises
made| either beforo Sheikh Isa and mysolf at Moliarrag or beforo mysolf and
tuo YYnzior at your liouso would mcot tho roquiroments of tho caso.
It is of oourso well understood in tho Islands that no omployds of
Europeans oan bo legally impressed by othor porsons, and thoroforo it is not
necessary to issuo auy now ordors on tho lines of your third suggestion