Page 239 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British influence and foreign interests, 1904-1906 229

Draft Memorandum.
1. I Am (losirod first to romind you of tho long, oontinued friondship and
support which lrnvo been nocordod by tho British Government to tho nuors of
Bahrein.
2. I bavo noxt to romind you that theso favours havo also boon oxtonded
to you porsonally.
Upon tho doath of your fathor, Sheikh Ali-bin-Khalifoh, tho British Gov­
ernment caused the usurper, Muhammad-bin-Abdulla, to bo oxpolled, and
yoursolf in>tallod in your father's placo. You havo ovor sinoo received tho
support of tho British Government.
3. In February 1001, you woro notiflod that, in aooordanco with your
oxpross wish, tho Briiish Governmont rocognisod your son, 8hoikh Ilamcd, as
your successor to tho Chioftainship.
4. They furthor offorod you tho sorvieos of a British offleor to administer
with moro olhciouey tho Customs of Babroiu. This offer you rofusod.
0. Theso nro cvidoncos of tho friendly and bonovolont spirit whioh has
bcon consistently displayed towards you by tho British Govornmont. You
owo in tho main to them your presont position, tho moans that you onjoy, and
your continued occupation of tho Chioftaiuship.
0. Notwithstanding theso facts, and notwithstanding the assurances which
havo boon givon by you, especially on tho occasion of tho imprisonment in
1873 of a mail ngout in tho oraploy of a British Trading Company, whon you
promisod to abido, “ Inslmllah ”, by tho advico of ihu Political ltc9idont, you
havo not maintained your friendship towards tho British Government, and havo
coadiictod yourself in a manner whioh oanuot bo permitted to ooutiuuo.
7. You havo now refused to nccopt advico which I havo ropoatedly
offered on bchnll of tho Briiish Government, with a view to tho amicable
sol llomcut of tho difficulties which havo arisen in connection with tho rcoent
assault by subjects of yours on certain Persians. Tho words used by you,
when I last visited you on tho 8th Docombcr 1004, wero—“I havo only oho
answer to givo, namely, that 1 will do nothing in this ease oxcopt aftor trial by
my own Shariat or Urf Court”, You woro thou informed why this prooeduro
could not be agreed to, and, though overy consideration has been shown to you,
you still remained obdurate, aud thus bar tho way to a satisfactory conclusion
being arrived at. You havo also in spite of my own repeated representations
and thoso of tho Assistant Political Agont atBahroin, Captain Pridoaux, ontirely
failed to keep undor proper control your nephew, Sheikh Ali, who is undoubtedly
rosponsiblo in a great measure for tho present outrago on Persians, as well as for
tho recent attack on the Gormnn, Mr. Balmson, for tho illegal application of
Sukhra, or forced labour, on tho oraployiSs of tho Gorman, Mr. Wonkbaus,
and for tho forciblo removal from tho British mail stoamor “ Kangra ” of
oortain bnggalas last Docembor.
8. Matters havo now oomo to a point whon tho British Govornmont can
no longer, consistently with their own dignity and your pormanent iutorosta,
discuss theso matters with you, and I am, thcreforo, instruotod to mako tho
following demands upon you :—
(1) I am to domand that 6ix of tho ringlcadors in tho attack against
Persian subjects shall, immediately after identification, rcooivo 24 stripos oach
and a term of imprisonment or expulsion from tho island.
(2) I am to demand that Rs. 2,000 shall bo paid as compensation to tho
Persians through tho Assistant Political Agont.
(3) I am to domand that you shall station a special guard of your own
trusted mon on duty in Manama to maiulain ordor in tho bazaar.
(4) I am to demand that Shoikh Ali-bin-Ahmed shall loavo Bahrein
forthwith, and that ho shall not bo normitted to roturn thcro for a period of five
yoars, counting from tho dato on which ho now loaves Bahrein,