Page 81 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Regional relations, 1927 383
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In 1791 Said Sultan of Muscat, with the encouragement of the Persian Governor
•of Shiraz, which place'was no longer the scat of the Persian Government, declared
war on Bahrain.
The Utb Sheikhs, alarmed by his proceedings, opened correspondence with
Shaikh Nnsir of Bushiro and on their offering to become tributary to Persia the
Shaikh proceeded privately to Bahrain and received an instalment of Uic revenue
for the previous year on behalf of Persia.
11. In 1800 Saiyid Sultan of Muscat invaded Bahrain, deported twenty-five
of the lending families to Muscat, and established an Omani garrison on Mahnrraq
Island. This garrison was in the following year, however, compelled by the
Utb to surrender and to evacuate Bahrain.
The Persians do not seem to havo assisted, but in the same year, 1801, the
Muscat ruler, with assistance from Bushiro, given with the permission of the
Persian Governor of Shiraz, again landed at Bahrain.
12. By this time however the Bahrain Shaikhs had secured the support of the
Wahabis who were threatening the outposts of Oman and Saiyid Sultan was obliged
to return to protect his own country. For the next ten years the Shaikhs of
^Bahrain succumbed, though reluctantly, to the influence of the Wahabis.
In 1803 they sent a fleet-to cruise against Muscat during the pearl season, and
not only sustained the resultant pecuniary loss, but also received a heavy defeat.
In 1805 they joined a movement to destroy Wahabi influence, but iu J810 the
Wahabis appointed an agent to live at Bahrain to suporintrn l the administration
though leaving the local authority in the hands of the Utb Shaikhs. At the same
time they appointed Wahabi teachers to convert the people to the Wahabi doctrine.
13. In 1811 the Wahabi Amir reduced his garrison in Bahrain in consequence of
the gradual advance of the Egyptians on his frontiers. The Imam of Muscat
■attacked Bahrain, and the Wahabi agent was taken prisoner and the power of the
Utb restored.
14. To follow year by year the change of fortune of Bahrain, its dependence
now upon the Wahabis, its dangers now from the Sultan of Muscat, and then
the Egyptians who had ousted the Wahabis, the claims of Turkey from the date
they conquered the Wahabi country, and the continued though intermittent claim
of Persia though every detail of it bears upon our position in Bahrain and that
of Persia, has taken a hundred pages of foolscap to note upon, ft is obvious
that no despatch could bear this weight. 1 have accordingly written, with the
assistance of Major Barrett, Political Agent of Bahrain, a monograph on the subject
which I will forward separately and which can be referred to, if necessary, and in
this despatch I will attempt to keep to the main events which have affected the
question.
15. In 1817 the Resident found the conduct of the Utb Shaikh most unsatis­
factory iu connection with piracy, our main concern in the Persian Gulf and .
Bahrain became the principal mart for the property plundered by pirates,
and the main depot from which the Qawasim the pirate centre, drew their sup­
plies of rice and dates. !
In the previous year, 181(5, the Resident, Lieutenant Bruce, of the Indian
Navy, had made an informal agreement with the Shaikhs, and in 1819 an agree­
ment of a similar nature was contemplated by the Government with the object of
restraining the Bahrain Arabs from piracy.
10. .In 1820 the Persian Governor asked the Multan of Muscat and indeed the
British also, to convey Perisan troops to Bahrain. In the same year the Bahrain
government, fearing that an attack would succeed, made full submission to the
Sultan of Oman and agreed to pay him an annual tribute of 83,000 per annum.
Both parties appear to have asked for the guarantee of the British Govern­
ment to this agreement.
In Eebruary of the same year a preliminary treaty of Peace was made by the
Shaikhs with the Bombay Government to prevent the sale of plundered goods
and under this treaty the Shaikhs were admitted to the benefits of the general
treaty of Peace of the Trucial coast.
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