Page 95 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

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British interests and influence, 1898-1904 85
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Uoaidont nml Consul-General was away in Shiraz, and was tlio result o£ an
intriguo ou tho part of Mr. Gaskin, who was in partnership with Messrs.
Livingstono, Muir & Oo. and was ondoavouring to assist tliom against us, wo
should certainly have made a strong representation on the subject to the
Foroign Offico. Whon Oolonol Wilson returned from Shiraz, our Mr. Fracis
spoke to him about tho matter, and wo have no doubt Captain Ducat, who waa
indirectly rosponsiblo for tho issuo of tho letter, must havo boon censured for
his injudicious conduct. It is evident from such conduct on the part of a
Member of tho Consulate that it has an impression that it is privileged to
writo and say anything it chooses to British merchants, without caring a trifle
as to tho legality or otherwise of its action, but it will bo greatly mistaken if
it supposes that British merchants will put up with its whims without a
protest.
With reference to tho concluding portion of this paragraph, aro wo to
understand that the trado transactions of British merchants arc dependent on
the “ views” of British authorities in tho Gulf, and that, if they wish to open
up trado with auy particular port in tho Gulf, they must obtain tho authority
and approval of tho said '* British authorities”? If so, will Her Majesty's
Consulate favor us with information as to whoro wo can find any rulo or regu­
lation promulgated by Government which can support this extraordinary
contention ?
Paragraph 6.—Tho supposed contention of tho Sheikh as to tho wording
of the concession which gives him tho right to cancel it at any moinont, will
doubtless bo decided by the Court in aocordanco with justice and equity.
ThoShoikh “ resolvod in tho month of Zil Kada 1314—April-May 1897,—
to put a stop to the trado,” but ho does not say for what reason ho failed to
carry out his rcsolvo at thetimo, and it is a most unfortunate and straugo coin-
cidcuco that he should chooso tho month of January-Fobruary ‘last, soon after
the seizures at Bushire and Muscat, to carry out his alloged rosolvo, and that
too, unfortunately,u without a provious roforonce to tho Residency.”
Paragraph 6.—It is quite true that the seizure took place a few days prior
to your visit to Bahrein, but wo fail to soc how this circumstance can affect tho /
cssenoeoi our complaint, viz.f that tho step was taken under instructions from 3/
British Authority. '
With reference to your statomont that “I told you at tho timo to apply
at once in writing if you wished mo to intorforo, ” wo bog to stato that our
Mr. Fracis did protest against tho arbitrary and high-handed seizure of our
arms, but with the information in our possession that tho seizuro was duo to
tho action of British Authorities, it would havo been a moro farce, under tho
circumstances, to have askod you to interfere on our bohalf against tho action
of the Sheikh, particularly whon tho aotivo movo in tho seizuro of our arms
was made on tho first day of your landing at Bahroin, whon our koys of tho
godowns, in which tho arms were stored, wero demanded in your namo and
you flatly refused to put your seal on the godowns, until suoh timo as you
might think fit (having in mind tho termination of tho Afridi Oampaign).
In faot, what you wanted was the delivery of tho arms ’ in charge of your
poraonal clerk, Mr. William Hayward. Even your memorandum of the 6th
was delivered latoon tho evening of tho 7th February last; tho same night you
loft for Bushire.
You woro about four days in Bahroin, and if you wero actuated with a
bond fide desire to do us justice, it was certainly your duty, in the protection of
our rights under Treaty, to have ordorod the immediate roloase of tho goods
ponding enquiry, seeing that, according to your own admission, tho step was
taken " without a provious roforcnco to tho llcsidonoy, ” but instoad of which
you talked about Bahroin boing undor British protection, oto., etc., and aotivoly
signified your approval of tho Shoikh's action by telling him that tho goods
must remain in his ohargo, and offoring to seal our godowns with tho Resi­
dency soals.
Paragraph 7,—Most assurodly wo do not oxpoct you to admit our olaim
against tho British Government. Our claim can only be onforcod in a Court
of Law.