Page 89 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Regional relations, 1927 391
•17

03. In 1922 the Foreign Office in London began to take a strong line regarding
the conditions prevailing in the Government at Bahrain and on tlio 7th December of
that year addressed the Government of India in the following terms :—
" I am to express the earnest hope that steps may be taken forthwith for tho
introduction at Bahrain of reforms tending to ensure the equitable
• ’ treatment of Shiahs ”,
Colonel Knox, the acting Resident, protested against action being pressed too
strongly.
64. In replying to the Secretary of State the Government of India in their
telegram No. G34-S., dated the 14th May, 1923, stated :—
“ Knox overlooks the fact that the Foreign Office consider the time has come
to face the direct issue with Persia and that should Persia appeal to tho
League of Nations misrule would be the only serious flaw in our ease.
Publicity is a new factor that cannot bo ignored. Developments arc
likely to have an unsettling effect on Bin Saud. Prompt action
in Bahrain is imperative, and Knox should bo given authority to
take it at his discretion................................... We desire only to
put ourselves right in the eyes of Bahrain and the world ”.
G5. In first pressing these reforms, the Government of India stated :—“ Noth­
ing should be done to encourage the idea that the Shaikh is introducing the reforms
at Government dictation ”.
GG. The question of these reforms and our interference in internal affairs is
dealt with in my accompanying despatch No. 295-S., of today’s date.
G7. The international aspect of the ease is, then, that Persia depending upon her
possession of Bahrain up to 1783 ; on the agreement of Captain Bruce in 1822 ; and
on our communication to her in 18G9, maintains her claim to Bahrain, notwith­
standing the Muscat and Wahabi possession which intervened and the long subse­
quent independence of the Shaikhs. It is doubtful whether she to-day has any
knowledge of the fact that on three occasions, in 1791, in 1838 and in 1859 she
temporarily assumed protection of Bahrain, though for so short a time that no real
claim could be based upon it. In the third ease the circumstances would only
count against her. However in Foreign Office No. T.-14112/235/378, dated
31st December 192G, addressed to the Under Secretary of State, India, it is
stated :—
. " On political grounds it is of great importance to avoid any action which
would result in the re-awakening of the controversy as to the sove­
reignty of Bahrain ”.
G8. In 1922, however, we ititcd, as quoted above, that Colonel Knox was
unaware that we were ready to meet the Persian claim, and even to put it before the
League of Nations. Thus it is obvious it is only our other commitments with
Persia which made it undesirable publicly to meet the question openly in 1926.
G9. But thoieal danger is not from Persia, since if the point was forced on us wo
should have no hesitation and no difficulty in disposing of her very illusionary claims.
But the resulting investigation would show the weakness Of our own position in
Bahrain, based as it is upon tho continued content of the Shaikh. Our Treaties
give us no right to our present domination, a point mentioned by Shaikh
Isa in his petition to Government, and which would certainly come out before
an international tribunal. All that wo could prove would be the indepen­
dence of Bahrain and our protection based on custom and consent, but
should Shaikh Hamad desire it, or should Shaikh Lsa intervene, any international
tribunal would limit our powers of action in tho Islands. ICxceptso far as dependent
upon the goodwill of I ho Shaikh our past protection would give us internationally
no ground for maintaining our position in the future.
70. Indeed this point we ourselves have brought out in communication to tho
sublime Porte, which wo now desire to repeat to Bin Saud, (Vide paragraph 5 of
lottor No. 1S.-2585/119/91, dated Foreign Office, 7th July, 1927, to the Under
Secretary of Stnto for India, forwarded to me under your No. 402-N., dated 17th
August 1927.)
MCWU-'D