Page 238 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

540 Records of Bahrain

21 wV'.:i 1929 -
Mo .F. 164-1^89.
-3, i 192!
The Deputy Beoretary to tho Government of India \
In tho Foreign and Political Department,
To
r~ T|i4 Hon*hit tho Political Resident In tho Persian Oulf*
4 1 7 7 Dated Simla,the 2jf/l May 1989.
fn/ii.
British administration In
tho Bahrain 8tate*
Sir,
With reference to sir Frederick Johnston's letter Mo*8-8
dated the 19th January 1989, I am directed to eay that the
introduction of reforms in Bahrain was originally Intended only
to romoTO the worst features of Arab misrule* As matters stand
now, however, it would seem that the prooese has overrun Its
original limited objective* There are In Bahrain to-day a British
Finanolol Adviser, a British Police Offioer, and a British
Oustona Offloerj that is, aotually more British administration
than in an ordinary Indian 8tate, even than (for instonoe) In
Kalat, though Kalat is a frontier State, in which Imperial
considerations diotate a comparatively marked degree of dlreot
interference•
2* There is an ovldont danger that with this example before
their eyes the minds of the smaller Arab rulers may be turned
increasingly in the dlreotlon of Ibn 8aud, as the greatest
Arabian figure* Their fear of Wahabi absorption nay be less than j
their fear of losing their looal and Arab individuality in
exchange for on unoongenlal western re'gime, however efflolent
and profitable that regime may be*
Z. 1 am to request you to examine in this light the whole
!
question of British interference in the Bahrain administration,
with a view to deoldlng how far it is possible and expedient now
to retrace the stepe whloh have been t&keni and to submit your
-PQ no rote proposals for the initiation of a revised polioy*
kHCLOGUHC IK J Z have the^honour to be,
fOnCIGH UKGKLIAmY*!; !
: Tour moot obedient servant,
H<r | 4 4 . '
1,4 Si; MAY. !.:■:! Sd/« J*0*Aoheson,
17 JU!!. i:'.<
Deputy 8eoretsry to the Oovernaent of India*