Page 99 - Records of Bahrain (4) (ii)_Neat

Regional relations, 1927 401
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43, On the 13th February 1925 Shaikh Isa submitted an appeal to His Excel­
lency tho Viceroy against his deposition.
In it he says “ the ' reforms * which my subjects did not want or demand and
which indeed they condemned took tho form of forcing on me inadmissible dc-
l mauds'for concessions to foreign syndicates.”
He also refers to the resolutions passed by his chiefs of tribes of which one was
“ that the British Consul should abide by the contents of the treaty contracted be­
tween the British Government and that of Bahrain and should not meddle with
internal affairs.
He concluded.
“ It is against the intolerable persecution to which I myself have been
subjected in breach of Treaty obligations in the matter of my prero­
gatives as an independent ruler of Bahrain that I seek protection and
redress at Your Excellency’s hands.”
44. At the beginning of Shaikh Hamad’s rule affairs in Bahrain were in chaos.
Disturbances which owed their inception to the party which desired Shaikh Isa
and his misrule, were rife and finally an attempt was made on Shaikh Hamad's
life.
45. In 192G the Subedar commanding the Baluch levies was killed by one of t.ho
Sepoys in the force, and Major Daly was attacked and wounded. I consider that
this incident, though it had some connection with the general unrest, need not be
considered politically. It had no Arab significance, except as a symptom of gene­ '
ral conditions, it was not due to the causes which preceded the attempt on Shaikh
Hamad’s life.
The Baluch Levy Corps was however abolished and an armed Police Corps
of Punjab Mohammedans enlisted, again under a British Officer.
40. To-day Bahrain is quiet. Shaikh Isa meets the Political Resident and the
Political Agent, and lie draws his allowance. The Dowasir tribe who left Bahrain
arc coming back again on the conditions which we named, and we arc attempting
more and more to make Shaikh Ilanuid the obvious head of the State.
47. But it is still obvious to the world that Shaikh Hamad docs what the Poli­
tical Agent wants him, that he frequently does what he docs not want, because
the Political Agent tells him —we should say advises him.
A glaring example of this is the Dowasir ease, in which the Dowasir and all
the Island knew that Shaikh Hamad’s sympathies were with the expelled tribe, and
lie joined with that tribe to obtain I lm Sand’s recommendation to us in order to
make easier his task of obtaining their return to Bahrain.
48. In the meantime we have a British Administrator, a servant of the State,
who sits with Shaikh Hamad on tribunals, we have the Customs Director and the
Chief of Police, all of whom were appointed by the British Government, though
under Shaikh Hamad’s signature.
The British arc still looked upon as the rulers, and how indeed can it be other­
wise ? We make and unmake rulers, we appoint administrators and officials.
Every important point is referred to us—the question of landing charges, read mis-
sion of the Dowasir, arrival of foreigners, visit of the Shaikh to Qatar, etc., etc.
49. Now on reading the history of the last 100 years it is not difficult to see how
the present situation has come about, nor the causes of the differences which have
occurred between the Shaikh and the Political Agent, the difference of outlook of
Shaikh Isa and Lord Curson.
50. In the course of putting down piracy we were bound to take an interest in
Bahrain affairs, for we could not allow the Islands to fall into the hands of a foreign
power who might allow it. to be a centre of disorder. In 1843 we allowed the Shaikh
to be ousted as we did not find him satisfactory, and he was replaced by us by another
who was equally unsatisfactory, and who finally fled in 1808. We. then recognised
Shaikh Ali, who was killed by usurpers, whom we defeated and deported, and we
then installed his son Esa in his place in 1809, and in 1923 we deposed Shaikh Esa
and ugain appointed this sou to rule.
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