Page 106 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

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408 Records of Bahrain

[Tl>is Document it the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.)

PERSIA. May 0, 1028.

GONTIDENTIAL. Section 1.

[E 2147/51/91] No. 1.
Papers communicated by the Colonial Office, May 9, 1928.

M. 0)

Lieutenant Colonel llaicorth to Mr. Amery.
^Confidential.)
Bushire, March 30, 1928.
I TIAVE the honour to forward a copy of m^- letter of to day’s date to the Foreign
Secretary to the Government of India in the torcign and Political Department, on
the subject of the Persian claim to sovereignty over Bahrein.
I have, &c.
L. HAWORTH.

Enclosure 1 in (1).
Lieutenant-Colonel llaicorth to Gocemment of India.
(Confidential.) p/0 \W- S.
Sir, ' Bushire, March 30, 1923. .
WITH reference to my telegram dated Bahrein, the 19th March, 1928, I have
honour to forward a translation of a letter dated the 22nd Ramadhan, 1340 s
7~c.\ i
(15th March, 1928), from Sheikh Sir Isa-bin-Ali-nl-Khalifah, K.C.I.E., of Bahrein,
■
l countersigned by Sheikh Ilamad-bin-Isa and Khalifah, Deputy Governor of
Bahrein, to the address of the Political Agent, Bahrein, empowering the British -j
Government on his behalf, in accordance with the treaties with Bahrein, to defend j T .
; Bahrein from outside interference and to rebut the claim of the Persian Government
to sovereignty over the Bahrein Islands. He also stales his intention of sending his
son, ShciKn Muhammad, to assist our representative at the League of Nations should
; the matter come before that assembly.
The terms of the letter arc in accordance with the instructions contained in
. your telegram dated the 30th January, 1928. It was written by Sheikh Isa without
i any pressure on my part, and the.draft is in his own wording without alteration
by me.
I had, however, pointed out to the sheikhs the danger of the position of Bahrein,
: exposed as it was to Arab and Persian ambition, and Sheikh Isa expressed hie
permanent friendship with the British Government.
The question of the words "under the protection of Great Britain," which
:;
appears in the British note to the Persian Government, was the subject of conversation
with Sheikh Hamad and his brother, Sheikh Abdnlla. They were most anxious to
■ include this wording in the draft to be addressed to us, and must have opened the
subject with Sheikh Isa; and it is. I think, certain that the wording "to defend
Bahrein from outside interference " is the compromise between them.
In accordance with your instructions I did not press the matter, and the
document seems satisfactory. If any change is required in the wording I can
obtain it.
Sheikh Isa, so his 6ons inform me. admitted that he is too old now to take part
io the Government of the country, but he is still as anxioua os ever about the
maintenance of his internal independence.
It is interesting to note, however, that his sons, Sheikh Hamad, the de facto ruler.
' Sheikh Abdnlla, the youngest son, and also Sheikh Salman, the eldest son of Sheikh
| Hamad, were anxious, in their own interests, to admit to the full the protection of
Great Britain.
This, in Sheikh Ilamad, is understandable, as his great effort is to make us
responsible for him for more important questions, and especially for answers either
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