Page 255 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British influence and foreign interests, 1904-1906 245

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a vessel m tko lattor boon ovailablo during tho rocont operations, ib /flrould
probably lmvo boon possible to blookado tho Island and provont Shoikh Ali'l
cscapo to tho mainlaud.
7. Tlioro remains to bo coneiderod tho quostion of a suooossqt to 6holkh
Esa. Tho lottor though getting on in years is, I bolioyo, ondowod with good
hoaltli ond thoro is no reason to oxpoot his early donxiso. At tho some time
his son Shoikh Homed 'sooms to bo tho least desiroblo of his sons in character,
and to bo shaping in a way whioh givos grounds for the presumption that ho
is likely to prove no more satisfactory as a rulor than his father.
In this connection I understand Captain Pridoaux to inolino to tho opinion
that wo should withdraw our recognition from him altogether, ond notify tho
faot now. In that case he would sugge st the selootion or Skoiklx Esa’s grandson
Khalifa (tho youth montionod in paragraph 2 of my report No. 110) whom
Captaiu Pridoaux thinks woll of, and who gives mo also tho imp rossion of
being a nioc-naturod boy. Bhoikh Esa too is ovidcntly much attooned to him.
In tho event of his solcotiou tho idea would ho to prevail upon tho Sheikh to lot
him go to India to acquire soino degreo of education, with whioh ho would bo
bettor equippod for the part ho might subsequently bo oallod upon to play.
To toll Homed now, howovor, that he was dobarrod from all ohanoo of
sucoooding his fatlior would, I fear, intvoduoo a pormanout oloinont of strifoand
unrest into Sheikh Esa’s family, the obviation of whioh was our rerun objeot
in specifically rcooguising one of his eons os his successor, and aftor giving the
question full oonsidoration from all points of view, I am iuclinod to roeoramond
that wo content ourselves for tho present with informing Shoikh Hsft that the
Govornmout of India aro by no means pleased with tho way in which his son and
prosumptivo sucoossor has comported himsolf during tho roocut inoidonts, and
that wliilo loth to withdraw recognition onco given without vary strong and
spocifio grounds thoy foci oallod upon to warn Shoikh Hainod plainly that thoir
ultimato acquicsooncc in his succession will dopond entirely on his satisfactory
demeanour from this day forward.
In the moonwhile the Political Agont might bo authorised to uso his
influence with Shoikh Esa in order to prevail upon him to allow Khalifa, now
14 or 16 yoars of ago, to go to India for n time for cdiioation apd training.
In this way, should anything happen to Shoikh Homed or should his future
demeanour obligo us to withdraw our recognition from him, another and moro
satisfactory cauuidato would be ready to bund.
8. Referring to tho proposal to appoint a Vazior put forward in paragraph
0 supra, it may bo as woll if I at onco suggest somo ono for the appoiutmont,
in oaso the idea commends itsolf to Govornmout. What I think is wanted is
not an official brought up too strictly on Indian lines but ono familiar with tho
customs and wcaknossos as well as with tho language of tho community in which
bis work will lio.
It occurs to mo Hint Soyyid Makomcd-bin-Saood, son of tho lato Vazior
of tho Sultan of Muscat, might fulfil requirements, and that it would atauy rate
bo worth whilo giving him a trial if tho proposal is approvod.
His fatlior Soyyid Saced was of groat holp to mo at Muscat up to tho timo
of his death and the sou, though not buck a oapablo man and handionppod by
an increased admixture of negro blood, always did his best to follow in his
father's footsteps and maintain olose relations with tho British Agency. Whoa
1 liandod ovor my duties at Muscat to Major Groy, Soyyid Mahomod-bin-Saeed
was ono of thoso whom I especially oommondod to his good offices, ond it is
evident that my successor has also formod a good opinion of him for recently
at tho latter’s suggestion, I lmd tho plcosuro of Bonding Sovyid Mahomod a
gold watch in rocognition of tho good work dono by him in kofping to trace tho

Ho is, thoroforc, a man who dosorves woll of tho British Government and *
on tho othor hand has littlo to look forward to oxcopt through our good offices
for according to my cxporionco 8oyyid Eoisal docs not boar him 6 '
any personal
liking.
Ho is alilo to vend und writs with facility and is, I firmly bclioro, Quito
loyal to us and to our interests. * ^