Page 82 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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in endeavouring to rocall tho concession when ho found what was going on,
nnd 1 am nlso of opinion Hint it was liable to bo withdrawn. On this point*
however, legal advice will, no doubt, bo noeossary, nnd wo ought also to
obtain further proofs of tho fact that, arms wero purchased from tho concession­
aires by porsons living in plncos whore sales woro forbidden in the concession.
This can only bo done on tho spot, nnd X will, if so dcsirod, visit Bahrein and
the Arab Const shortly, nnd collect evidence. I will also, at tho snmo time,
obtain an explanation from tho Sheikh as to tho npparont discrepancy botwocn
tho ronsons he has given to mo for his attachment of tho arms, nnd that con­
tained in his lottcr to Mr. Frncis. As 1 hnvo said, I think this can bo explained,
but I would reservo a final opinion till I havo questioned Shoikh Bsn himself.
The translation of the concession was mado in my office. I am sending a
copy of tho Arabia original, and would suggest that it may bo carefully
Bcrutinised by an oxport, and that a truo-translation may bo sont to mo if tho
ono I havo is found incorrect. Tho Shoikh was no doubt encouraged to proceed
against tho arms traffic to Bahrein by tho knowledge that tho British Govern-
. ment disapproved of it nnd bad assisted in tho confiscation of arms elsewhere.
If is also possible that Messrs, b'racis Times & Co. might havo found moans to
make tho Shoikh withdraw his opposition if ho bad not known that wo would
Bupport him. Granting theso possibilities, however, tho fact remains that the
Sheikh wished to withdraw tho concession long before tho British Government
moved in tho matter of the arms traffic, and that hns granting tho oonoession,
his desire to stop tho traffic, and, finally, his attachment of tho arms, wero his
own acts, without any advico or prompting on the part of tliq British Author­
ities, Whatever sharo Agha Mohamod ltahim took iu theso. transactions wna
taken ns a private individual, aud not as British Agent at Bahrein
The question of a robbery, or theft, of tho arms ha9 not been lost sight (xf,
but will be duly investigated when tho general question is sottled, and I think
that tho arras themselves should bo surveyed by an expert as soon as con­
venient, first, to establish thoir origin, when many will, I think, be found to bo
of Belgian manufacture, and, second, to obeok them, and sco if any deteriora­
tion or damage has really occurred since they wero attached. It will then havo
to bo decided what should bo done with tho arras. I do not think it is desir­
able that they should bo left at Bahroin indefinitely, or until the questions,
between tho Firm and tho Sheikh, or between tho Firm and Agha Mohamed
Babim, aro finally disposod of. Theso matters involve onquiries which may
take some time, and may also involvo protracted logal proceedings, and X
doubt if it is safe to leave such a 6took of armB at a placo like Bahrein, which
might, under certain evoutualitios, suoh as tho death of tho prosont Shoikh,
oto., become tho scene of trouble and disorder. In 6Uoh an ovont it might bo
impossible to guard tho arms, and they might pass into tho bonds of those wha
would employ thorn against ourselves, for we aro bound to protect our subjeota
at Bahrein and to maintain peace and order in tho placo.
I I venture, therefore, to suggost that the arms should bo banded baok to tho
Firm on the condition that'they romovo thorn from tho Gulf, and do not
attempt to sell them there, gfc if it is considered that the Pirm are not entitled
to have thorn back, that we should bring them to Busbiro, or remove them to
' British India. In offering this opinion I would point out that, although Mr.
Praois was well aware of the conditions in tho concession, and though the
Pirm appear to havo carried on tho traffic a9 a speculation, pure and simple,
for their own profit, without any regard for tho wishes of tho Sheikh or con­
sideration of the danger to whioh they wero exposing him and his family, as.
well as the inhabitants of Bahrein, by selling indiscriminately, tbo oiroums-
tancos under which tho traffic was started render it doubtful if wo should,
permit the entire confiscation of the property of a British Firm by a rulor liko

List of enclosures to AJemoranduvi by the Political Resident, Persian Gulf •
1, Two letters from Messrs. Fracis Times & Co., datod 20tU April 1808.
i. Odo ditto ditto dated 3rd Soptombor 1898,
8. Family treo of Aga Moljamod Habim Spffar.