Page 266 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

256 Records of Bahrain

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tlioir Politioal Agont—if tho lntlor ostablishoa a proper position with tho
Shoikh—ought to suffino without tho nocossity for toudoringndvico in tho formal
juannor which you scorn to contcraplato.
4. A fow months only havo olapscd since His Majosty's Soorotary of
Stato approved tho appointmont to Bahrein of an ofilcor of tho graded list of
tho Political Dopartmont. Tho objoots of this moasuro woro explainod in
tho doapatoh from tho Govoromont of India, datod tbo 21st of April 1004, and
J foremost among thorn waa that of securing moral influonco ovor tho Shoikh.
Sinoo Captain Pridoaux landed at Manama, evonts havo oocurrod which havo
affordod a uninuo opportunity of furthering this end. Tho account
rooont outrngos lias been sottlod, and that in a mnnnor which has no
rohdored tho Shoikh sincorcly desirous of avoiding a repetition of similar
inoidonts, and which has presumably impressed on tho unruly clomont among
his subjects tho need for groatcr circumspection in tho futuro. Tho Sheikh
has inaugurated a special corps of polico, and tho vigilanco of tho Political
! Agont should onsuro its otHoionoy. Baokod by tho moral forco of tho nowly
posted British guard, or in onso of need by its aotivo assistance, this body may
reasonably bo oxpoctod to suffico for tho maintonanco of an improvod stato
of ordor. At tho presont moraont, theroforo, your advico and that of tbo
Political Agont should possoss peculiar woight, and might bo oxpoctod to
suffice, unaidod, to induco all requisite roforms.
5. Tho moasuros which you proposo for tho acquiosconco of tho Shoikh
aro: —
I! («) 1' o appointmont of a Wazir selected for him by tho Govornmont of
India to carry on tho govornmont of Manama under tho immediate guidance
of tbo Political Agent.
(6) Tho oroation of a small polico forco undor a nativo polico officer of
the Governraout of India.
(c) Tho warning of tho presont Rulor’s hoir, Shoikh Hamod, that in spito
of tbo recognition givon by tho Govornmont of India to his right to succcod,
tlioir ultiraato acquiescence in his succession will dopend ontiroly on bis satis­
factory domoanour from this day forward.
fd) Tho oxoroiso by tho Political Agent of his influonco with Shoikh Esa
in oruor to provail upon him to allow his grandson, IChalifa, to be sont to India
for a time lor education and training in viow of tbo possibility of bis ovoutual
solection to succeed in place of Shoikh Hamod.
0. With regard to (<?) and (d), I am to approve your proposals, and tho
Political Agont should take a suitablo opportunity to mako tho nccossary
communications both to Shoikh Esa and Shoikh Hamod. Your proposal (b)
is not ono on which any orders are roquired until a decision has boon arrived
at about your first and moro important suggestion that the Sheikh should hand
ovor tho administration to a Wazir appointed by tho Govornmont of Indio.
Such a roform, if practicable, would doubtloss havo tbo moat for-roaohing rosulta
on tho govornmont of Bahrein, but boforo thoy can bo in o position to pass
orders upon tho proposal, tho Govornmont of India would liko to roooivo
further information both ns to its probablo offoot upon tho Chiof, and ns to
your reasons for omitting from your prosont sohoino—an omission which has
boon observed with somo surprise—all montion of Customs reform, tbo
principal objoot, wbioh for so many years past tboy havo urged upon Sheikh
E6a.
7. Tho ncod for a revision of tho Bahrein Customs systom has long boon
regarded as pressing. During bis tour in tho Gulf in 1003, His Excollonov-
tho Viceroy personally intimated to tho Shoikh that tbo mattor wa9 ono wbioh
could not bo porinittcd to drop, and tbo dospatoh in which tho Govornmont
of India recently sought tho sanction of His Majesty’s Govornmont to a
rooonslitution of tho Bahroin Agonov, indientod in tho oloarost manner that
this question was tho first to which tho nowly-nppointed representative should
uddross himsolf. But your lottor is silont on tho subjoot. It hardly appoars
consistent with tlioir dignity that tbo British Govornmont should now abandon,
in the hour of success, that upon which thoy havo throughout insistod as tho
first condition of roform. Moroovor, any improvomont in administration—tho