Page 23 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

13
Zubarah: relations with Qatar, 1895-1896
88

028. In reporting the part played by Jasim in these disturbances, (letter

Action •gainst Sheikh Jasim, 1895.
No. 196 o( ditto. chief instigator of them, and that he had
rendered himself liable to exemplary punishment, The Government of India
therefore decided that Jasim should be compelled to pay a fine of Rs. 30,000 and
if he failed to pay this fine, his boats
Government ollndU letter No. 68-E.. dated loth , ,
January 1896, No. :oo of Seciet E., March 1896, Should be destroyed.
Nos. 193-301.
3:9., As regards the captured boats ol
Sheikh Sultan, they were ordered to be made over to Sheikh Esa, Chief of
Bahrein, to make usq of as he pleased, unless this course would be likely to
involve him in fresh complications. In that case the heirs of Sheikh Sultan were
to be given the option of purchasing his boats, within a specified time of the
receipt of this offer.
33°* The Chief of Bahrein decided to make them over to the heirs of
Sheikh Sultan. Sheikh Jasim refused to
Final aotion tokon na to boats oap. pay the fine of Rs. 30,000 on the ground
tu|?e«linE..1aSJu.i .896, No*. 1-2. that he had nothing to do with the affair.
The Political Resident therefore requested
Commander Story to al|qw the Albu Gowarah. tribe, to whom sorpe of the
boats, (17 in number) captured from Jasim belonged to redeem them.
Their value was estimated at Rs. 1/0,890, and they were allowed to be redeemed
for Rs. 6,386. The other boats also werq. offcr.ed to bo. redeemed, so that Rs.
10,191 were recovered by this method. Three boats, the property of Bahrein
subjects, were released without-fine, and?88 were burnt*
331. The amount recovered from the tribes was credited to the Imperial
revenues, (t) as. there was. no particular
as^Mune^BM0*,nd,a,elUr N° 1,63 E*A ’dt,ed individual who had suffered any direct in-
No. 18 o( Secret E., August 1896, Nos, 1.21. jury by the late disturbances, and.the effect
was a benefit to the general public, and
(a)-as Government had incurred heavy expenditure to restore order and estab­
lish security for a free trade around the islands of Bahrein.
332. The Government of India expressed their satisfaction at the manner
in which the proceedings had been conducted, and the assistance rendered by
Commander Story and the officers under his command was brought to the notice
of the Rear Admiral Commanding Her
Secrat E., October 1886. Noi. 76-83.
Majesty's naval forces on the East India
Station.
333. The Porte having protested against the British proceedings at
Pott«*« protest, 1896. Zobarah, the following note was ordered
No. 136 01 Seciet e., February ,897. No*. 151-158. ;n December 1896 to be communicated
to the Turkish Ambassador in London by the Foreign Office:—
Your Excellency states that Zobarah has been under the dominion of the Turkish
Empire from the earliest times, and that the Imperial Government considered that the
proceedings of Her Majesty's ships against a tribe which had taken refuge under the
Ottoman flag constitute an act of hostility incompatible with the friendly relations
existing between the two countries.
“In reply to Your Excellency's note, I beg leave to remind you of what is stated in
regard to the position of Bahrein and Zobarah in the memorandum which was communi­
cated to Your Excellency's predecessor on the 23rd of August of last year.
“ Her Majesty's Government adhere to the view expressed in that memorandum.
They consider that the measures in question were necessary for the defence of Bahrein,
which is under the protection of Great Britain, and they cannot admit the contention
that the portion of the coast of the Persian Qulf in which Zobarah is situated is within
the jurisdiction oj the Ottoman Empire.“