Page 37 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British interests and influence, 1898-1904 27

(lid not consider it propor to land myself, as of courso I had no intoution of
recognising tho Turkish official who was in command of tho fort. Thoro was
not tho slightest opposition to tho lauding, and, aftor walking through tho Arab
portion of tho town, they turned their stops in tho direction of tho fort, where­
upon tho 1 alort ’ rang out and tho guard rushed to arm thomsclvcs, our party
looked about as much as was necessary and then returned to their boat.
7. Lioutonant Robinson’s roport to mo on tho information gathered whilst
on shore is to this offoct:—
To go some time back—Hafiz Pasha, Yali of Basrah, about 6 years ago,
camo with gun-boats and bombarded tho town ; this was owing to Jassim bin
Tliaui raising the Arabs to resist and attempt to turn out tho Turks. This
accounts for tho vory dilapidated stato of a considerable portion of tho town
visiblo from tho harbour. Bor somo considerable time provious to this, it has
not boon tho custom to keep a gun-boat at this placo constantly, but thcro was
usually ono stationed oithor at El-Bida or El-Katif.
Somo 3 months ago tho Sheikh of Koweit made an excursion to punish tho
Beni IIajar tribo for repeated acts of robbery; Jassim bin Thani mixed himsolf
up in this affair, iu so far, as ho complainod to tho Turks that tho Shoikh of
Kowoit had taken, amongst tho spoils from tho Beni Hajar, cortain property
that bolongod to him. Tho Turks, howover, rofusod to interfere, and it is
supposed that this caused him to bocomo disaffected to tho Turks. About 2
months ago, during tho temporary absonco of tho gun vcssol, a rising of tho
Arabs took placo, in which a few on either sido woro killed; it could not bo
ascertained who led tho Arabs. In couscquonco of this tho garrison has been
strengthened, and it is now rumoured to amount to 800 mon, and it is also
believed that somo field-pieces wero-brought from Basrah.
8. In roadiug this roport it should bo distinctly reraombered that tho
small amount of information that could bo gained from tho Turks was not
roliablo, owing to their natural distrust of our movements, and that from tho
Arab source was restricted in extent owiug to tho littlo communication that
appears to go on between tho two communities.
9. It is, I understand, tho intoution of tho Turks to keep a gun-boat
constantly at El-Bida, and it was rumoured that tho Turkish Government
meditatos strengthening their fleet in theso wators.
10. Jassim bin Thani has not been living in tho town for somo consider­
able time, and was reported to bo about 9 bom's’ journoy inland. I may noto
lioro that, whenever this man’s name was mentioned, thcro appeared a great
rcsorvo concerning him and a groat disinclination to talk about him. Tho
Turks, it is said, havo confiscated his property in tho town, his brother Ahmed
bin Thani livos in tho town and is practically tho Arab Govornor; ho was very
civil to Licutonant Robinson. Yusuf bin Rahim, tho brothor-in-law of tho Sheikh
of ICowcit, has, I tako it, influenced affairs in this direction to a certain oxtent;
ho has plenty of money and is constantly intriguing against Mubarak of
Koweit, and having joined hands with Ja9sim, tho latter is naturally influenced.
Yusuf left in a dhow about 10 days ago for Lingah, iu ordor to proceed by
steamer to Bombay whoro ho has much businoss. '
11. An itom of information which may bo useful to show tho way the
wind is vcoring is that an influential family, consisting of Muhammad bin
Subali, Mubarak bin Athlm and Muhammad bin Jarra, lmvo had their pro­
perty confiscated by tho Turks since tho last conflict, and they havo fled and
sought protection from tho Emir of Nojd, and Ahmed has hopes that they may
induco tho Emir to assist them against tho Turks. 1 y 7
12. My general impression is that tho Turks maintain mcroly a defensive
or ovon a passive occupaiion of tho placo, and their tenuro is onlv relied on bv
the presence) of tho gun-boat. No attompt whatovor has been mado to improvo
tho fortifications of {lie fort or to repair its many dilnjndntious
2