Page 237 - PERSIAN 4 1890_1899

BE3IDBNCY AND MA8KAT POLITICAL AGENCY Fbn TIIB YEAB 1801-95. 7

in April that be was making enquiries but bad not yet been able to discover
tho thieves. The enquiries are still proceeding.

3.—BAHREIN.
Sheikh Esa, tbo Chief, suffered from a severe attack of small-pox, and
^as at ono time dangerously ill. His recovery in June was hailed with
niarks of general rejoicing.
Rumours of a projected attack on Bahrein by Nasir-bin-AIubarik, the
restless and intriguing menace to its peace, were revived in October. Such
an attack could only be possible with the assent and support of Jasim-bin-
Muliammad Tbani, to whom a warning was accordingly addressed. Two
years a^o an acute panic was reported as having been caused by the rumoured
threatening move of these two Sheikhs.
In March an unfortunate quarrel arose between the Chief and the Al-
bin-Ali, one of the tribes subordinate to him, owing to a somewhat violent
act of the Chief’s brother and an affray which took place afterwards. The
tribe conceiving themselves aggrieved, removed in a body to the Katr coast
opposite, where their leader, Sheikh Sultan-bin-Salamab, promptly entered
into relations with Sheikh Jasim. The latter ostensibly made efforts to
eSect a reconciliation, and these failing—possibly their success never being
really intended—the seceding tribe, with the countenance and support of
Jasim, resolved on a settlement at Zobara, a place claimed as a hereditary
possession by Sheikh Esa, but which, as a matter of policy, and in order
to obviate the claim of collisions on the mainland, be had been required to
leave unoccupied. An alien settlement at Zobara would be a standing danger
to Bahrein, leading to a constant repetition of the fears of attack such as
those above referred to, and it was well known that it would on no account
he permitted. It was evident, however, at the end of the year that there
would he difficulty in arranging the matter.
British Indian traders of Bahrein exporting dates from Katif to India
have been subjected to great extortion during the last three years. Com­
plaints were made in 1S93 that B5,G15 had been exacted over the treaty
rate of 1 per cent, and, after a very long delay, the explanation was given
by the Turkish authorities at Baghdad, that their customs system required
the deposit of 7 per cent, over the treaty rate—such excess to he refunded on the
production of certificates by the Turkish Consul in India, of the due arrival
of consignments there. Meantime shipments for 1S93 had been made on
an excess payment of Pw9,719, and certificates in both these cases could not
he produced, owing to the delay in intimating the necessity for such
certificates.
Excess duty to tho extent of fi 4,174 was again exacted in 1894, and the
certificates insisted upon beiug in this case produced, a fresh excuse for
maintaining the extortion was found in a demand for the receipts for the
amounts originally paid. As receipts had been consistently refused, a fact
of course perfectly known to the Customs authorities, the device has up to
t e present enabled them to resist refund of exaction, which, added to those
for the two previous years, bring the total to over S19,500.

4.—NEJD.
A* ^uhammad-ibn-Rashid having attacked and plundered the
jman ribe near Sooloo, the headmen appealed to the Turkish Governor at
exn Claim!cS protection as they paid taxes. The Governor ordered an
pe lion against Muhammad-ibn-Bashid; but the Commandant of the