Page 276 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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266 Records of Bahrain

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endeavours to effect Sheikh Alt's surrender and offered a large reward for his
capture. I imagined, however, that Government would not be pleased at the
fact of Sheikh Ali's being still at liberty when there .was no doubt that the
Chief could effect his capture, and I thought that t|ic tone of his last letter
would .certainly add to their displeasure. I further pointed out as I had often
done before that if the ease had been referred to His Majesty's Sdcrctary of State
for India a reply could hardly yet be expected^ • • •
5. The Chief replied that he had been badly treated, that he saw" nothing
objectionable in the tone of his letter and he expressly desired that I -should not
kpep back the copy of it, which I had prepared to forward to you. . *
6. On the socond occasion I suggested to the Chief that if he thought
the written promise which had been extorted from him \vas unjust, would it not
be.b.ottcr for him .to address Goycinmvnt separately on tho subject and in a
more conciliatory tone, staling the grounds for his view ? I also suggested that
in such a letter he might express the hope that nothing in his letter of the 30th
May would give offence. The Chief repeated that ho could not agree with me
that there was anything offensive in what he had written, and that if Government
considered that there was and called upon hint for an explanation it Would be
time enough then to give one.
7. At the moment of my taking leave the Chief relaxed his attitude to the
extent of saying that he would consult his son Hamad further on the subject.
As, however, Sheikh Hamad passed me on his way to Manama for a few days'
stay, when 1 was going to Muharraq, and did this in spite of my having
given the Chief previous notice of niy intended visit, I do not think that any
rpsult will be apparent from this consultation when it docs take place.
8. The explanation of the Chief's unreasonable attitude lies, doubtless, in
the fact that he is being continually pestered by Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed, who
is supported by all the younger members of the family, with requests-for permis­
sion to come back to Bahrein-and threats to involve the Chief in further trqyblc
jf his ease is not soon satisfactorily settled. On Monday last,The 5th instant,
the Chief sent his son Hamad to me with an urgent message thAt he'had
received news from Katar that Sheikh Ali had made up his mind to’ return .to
Bahrein. I asked Sheikh Hamad whether Sheikh Ali was thinking’of attacking
Manama or of surrendering himself to the Chief. Sheikh Hamad replied that he
did.not think he intended-to-adopt either of these courses; he was tired of hid
uncomfortable exile in Katar and merely wished to live quietly and secretly- id
some out-of-thc way place in Bahrein. I told Sheikh Hamad that-ib- ;good
hdws that Sheikh Ali was contemplating a return to Bahrein, and if. he could be
induced to submit himself to the orders of Government such a conclusion would
bo most satisfactory.
. If.he came without any such intention, it should not be at all difficult for
tho Cliief to cut off-his.retreat and to make him a prisoner. I added that if
Sheikh Ali did return to. B.ahreio . and succeeded in escaping again later, the
Government of India would certainly . lake very serious notice of the matton
Sheikh Hamad replied that " Inshallah," Shoikh Ali would not comp. Sheikh
Esa was doing his best to dissuade him, as nobody'in Bahrein would be found
willing to capture Sheikh'All; and it was recognized ’that his coming..Jierc io
safely would be injurious to the Chief’s interests.
9. At the close ofThis interwiew the thought occurred to me that possibly
Sheikh Ali. bad already landed in Bahrein.
My Munshi conceived tho same suspicion, and on the following day he wa$
told by a respectable. Arab that Sheikh Ali wa» actually at Jascra at ,lbe southern
c'nd of the island.'
l am trying, to get confirmation of this.roport, but am inclined to think that
jt is.pot.^or.rcct as qothjng fr.$sh has transpired durngf tho last two,,days.*
* A ItUf daml-odlcltl communication ililca that tha tcpoii r«(crr«d to *ti louodiohavo eo foundation
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