Page 98 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

i 400 Records of Bahrain

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lie stated Shuikli ITaihad'h grdafc feat Wfta of Bin Sand; and ho reported In's
own anticipation that the wholo managomont of affairs would more and more
come into the hands of the Political Agent.
37. On the 20th May Colonel Knox hud an interview with Shaikh Isa, Ho
told him that the Government were much concerned at the condition in Bahrain
and that wo were committed to a serious course of reforms and advised him to
stand aside and give Shaikh Hamad a free hand.
Shaikh Isa was obdurate and on the 23rd May Colonel Knox asked Shaikh
Hamad and Shaikh Abdulla to make one last effort to induce Shaikh Isa to agree
to hiB measures.
On the 20th May Shaikh Isa was set. aside, ns far as control ovor matters
was concerned, and his son Hamad appointed to rule for him.
Shaikh Hamad though well meaning was without experience and had the
Weak character of his father though porhaps without so much obstinacy. Conse­
quently for the next four years he took no step without the help, or indeed
advice of the Political Agent, and his complete lack of initiative forced Major
Daly into the foreground.
38. In June 1923 the Government of India wrote the first of their repeated
warnings that the Political Agent must be on his guard against being tempted to
interfere too much and too directly in the Shaikh’s affairs or to become the
administrative officer rather than the adviser.
Colonel Knox pointed out that to evolve order out of chaos steps had to be
taken, and that both Shaikh Hamad and Major Daly were in bad odour in conse­
quence of the reforms having been established.
39. Shaikh Isa then appealed to the High Commissioner at Baghdad.
The Sunni tribes were opposed to these reforms and, in November 1923, peti­
tioned Colonel Trevor on his return to the Persian Gulf.
On the other hand Shaikh Hamad and Shaikh Abdulla asked Colonel Trevor if
he would permanently appoint a British Customs Director for Bahrain. Colonel
Trevor supported their request and also recommended the raising of a small force
of Baluchis to maintain order, along with other local reforms such as law courts,
etc.
Colonel Trevor pointed out this would entail the employment of three British
officers and that without them the reforms could not be carried out.
In reply the Government of India asked the Resident whether lie was not in
danger of going rather beyond what was laid down by them and stated that they
desired the Shaikh to be actively associated with the measures of amelioration and
not merely to follow passively in the wake of changes pressed upon them. They ask­
ed whether an Arab from Iraq or Egypt could not function as Director of Customs.
It is unnecessary to go into the further correspondence on the subject.
*10. In January 1924 Mr. de Grenier took over the appointment of Director of
Customs and in the same year a corps of Baluchis was raised under a British officer
and in 1920 an adviser was appointed who deals with judicial, financial and general
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: administration.
In the course of a compilation of a rccord-of-rights it came to light that
Shaikh Isa had frequently sold the same plot twice to different people and had
given documents for land included in the property of others.
41. Outrages against life and property now began to be common, of which two
were perpetrated by Shaikh IChalid and his sons, members of Shaikh Isa’s family,
the al Khalifeh.
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42. On the 24th July 1924 the .Foreign Secretary wrote that ** the Govern-
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ment of India had no desire to proceed further or faster than they could carry the
i Shaikh whole-heartedly with them. They think the Political Agent and the
Political Resident have shown a tendency to treat the Island too much on the
jines of a Native State in India.”
Colonel Pridcaux reported that he hud obtained the impression that ShuiKh
Hamad whole-heartedly approved of the reforms.
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