Page 82 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

304 Records of Bahrain
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17. In 1822 an extraordinary incident took place, and it is upon tin's that tho’
Persians mainly base their claim to the Islands of Bahrain.
Captain Bruce, the Kcsidcut at Bahrain, had been considerably worried by the
attempts of rival claimants to the Bahrain principality, and he finally came to
the conclusion that the only way to achieve peace and to prevent piracy, was to
hand Bahrain over to Persia.
Accordingly, in August 1822, he made an extraordinary and unauthorised
agreement with the Prilicc Governor of Shiraz relating to the whole of the Persian
Gulf. It may be added that the Governor of Shiraz was also not authorised
by his Government to enter into this agreement.
18. In this agreement, with roforcitco to Bahrain, it Was stated that tho Islands
of Bahrain had always been subordinate to the Government of Pars, against whose
authority the Shaikh of the Islands had lately become rebellious, that accordingly
the flag granted to the Shaikhs under the general treaty of Persia should be with­
drawn, alid that no assistance should in future be granted by Great Britain to the
Ulb Shaikhs, that on the contrary she should assist Persia against them by
lending ono or two vessels.
In other words the title of Persia to Bahrain was explicitly admitted,
10. The Government of Bombay promptly disavowed the action of their re­
presentative in Pars and removed Captain Bruce from his appointment. In
doing so they remarked regarding the agreement
" It acknowledges the King of Persia’s title to Bahrain of which there is
not the least proof, and to which the British Government cannot
assent without injuring the pretensions of the Iniaum and the
Attubccs. It promises our aid against every power possessed of an
island in the Gulf, .and expressly against the Attabccs to whom we
arc bound by a treaty of friendship, and with whoso conduct we have
cveTy reason to be satisfied.”
The GcJVtailJflcnt of Bomaby also pointed out that the agreement totally
-violated all the principles of our policy in the Persian Gulf,
The Shah of Persia appears to have been equally annoyed with his representa­
tive far conducting unauthorised negotiations, and he equally refused to ratify the
agreement,
20. Jn J828 Muscat made its lastattack on Bahrain, and was defeated partly
by the Utb, partly by cholera.
The Imam fast considerable prestige in the Gulf by bis defeat and in future
.confined his attcjitipn mainly to Africa.
It may be stated t|iat the various attacks of Muscat were based on the failure
,of Bahrain to pay the tribute to which it had bound itself.
21. In 1830 the power of the Wahabis was again established in Central Arabia,
and Bahrain immediately felt the repercussion.
At the end of the year the Wahabis presented the Shaikhs with a demand for
the payment of “ Zakat ” and for the cession of Dammam, on the main laud of Ilasa,
which was still held by Bahrain. The Shaikh attempted, without success, to obtain
the intervention of the British authorities : in consequence an agreement was made .
with the Wahabis in which the supremacy of the Wahabi Amir was acknowledged,
and tjip right to the payment of the Zakat admitted. The Amir in return undertook
to protect Bahrain against external aggression. In 1838 the Shaikhs threw oil’ their
allegiance, hut in 1830, as there was talk of the Persian Government raising their
claim to sovereignty, the Shaikhs once more became reconciled to the V/abub*
Amir and agreed to pay him .52,000 per annum as tribute, the Amir promising m
return to supply troops for the defence of Bahrain.
22. As will have been seen throughout the object of the British Government had
been to achieve Maritime peace for the safety of the currying of their trade, and
1830 a restrictive line was laid down for the Chiefs of the Trucial const beyond
which hostilities at. sen were not permitted. This restrictive line was extended
to the Shuikhs of Bahrain.
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