Page 290 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

280 Records of Bahrain
7
AS

Appoudix A.
(Confidential.)

(Dra/l of a proposed letter.)
From
Tiie SECRETARY TO THE
GOVERNMENT op INDIA
in the Foreign Department,
To
Major P. Z. COX, C.I.E.,
POLITICAL RESIDENT in Trie PERSIAN GULF.

Sir,
T am directed to acknowledge thn rocoipt of your lottor No. 331 of 10th
July and your telegram of 2nd August, on tho subjoct of Bahroin affairs.
2. I am to convoy to you tho satisfaction of tho Government of India at
tho surrondor of Shoikh Ali. it is hopod that this ovont will romovo a disturbing
factor from tho counsols of Shoikh Esa.
3. As regards tho question of our futuro rolations with Bahroin, you submit
certain proposals by Captain Pridcaux, which may bo summarised ns follows
(a) That it would bo bottor that, until tho Political Agent has acquirod
ndequato influenco ovor tho Shoikh, no stops wlmtovor should bo takon to
press on Shoikh Esa tho proposals rocommondcd originally in your lottor f
No. 123 (Confidential) of 11th Maroh last aud roforred -to in this JJopartmont Ur; 2
letter No. 1873 E.-B. of 17th May.
(i) That tho Political Agont should bo authorised to intorvono with diroot
instructions to tho Ohiof in tno following mattors, namoly,—
(0 tho oppression oxorcisod by tho A1 Khalifa family, tho Mogistorial
and Rovonuo officials, and tho Kazis;
(n) tho oxtrovagant ontortainmont of. Bodouins;
(Hi) reform of land royonup.fl.dministration;
(ib) legal disputes botwoon tho 8hoiklTand his subjects.
Captain Pridoaux appoars to hopo that, by consistently adopting this
policy, tho Political Agont will gradually bo furnishod with a status in tho
island indonondont of tho Shoikh; that tho 8hoikh will tfius bo oowod inRT“
an atiitudo of gonoral amenability to roasonablo suggestions; and that tho
termination of tho prosont system of oxnctions will rosult in so much loss of
rovonuo to tho Shoikh~ffiat ho wIll7~Sa liis own intorost, dosiro tho reform
of his Customs.
*V. - You concur in tho advisability of adopting Captain Pridcaux's first sug­
gestion f but boforo submitting any definite opinion on his othor proposals, you
invito a pronouncement of tho Government of India on tho proposition that
there is no middlo coureo botwoon tho two policies of fronting Bahroin (1) aa a
full British Protectorate; (2) as on indopondent principality.