Page 282 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

98 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
Khunji and Abdul Karim-bin-Mubammad Khndim. After a little troublo nt
the time of change on account of the deficiency of boots, tbo new contractors
wore induced to purchase in their own name a sufllcicnt numlier for the
ordinary needs of the port., and the work hns progressed satisfactorily since.
The Infantry Guard of one Native oflicorand 26 Non-Commissioned OfBeors
and men of the 108th Infantry (Mulmmniadnns) wororeliovod by a detachment
of one Native Officer and 28 Non-Commissdoned Officors and men (Mahrattas
and Muhammadans) of the 108th Infantry on the 3rd June 1907. This latter
detachment returned to India after relief by a similar party of the 112th
Infantry (Jats) on the 25th October 1908.
During the year under report little si"n was apparent of the secret trade
in arms, which undoubtedly has not ceased to exist. There are some slight
grounds for suspecting that the Persian clerks employed by Messrs. Wonckhau9
& Co. aro not. entirely innocent of connection with it, as they are extremely
friendly with one of the leading operators who resides in Muharraq. In view
of the pending Conference at Brussels, it was considered undesirable to search
too closely for definite proofs of the guilt of the influential indhiduals who are
believed to take part in the industry, as much unpleasantness will bo avoided
if the stoppage of the traffic can he effected within a reasonable time by
action outside of Bahrein.
On the 19th January 1908, 23 Afghans, who had been repulsed from
Maskat, came ashore in Bahrein, and avoided returning to the mail-steamer
in spite of the Polilical Agent’s orders that they should do so. They were
then brought in custody to the Agency, where their persons and effects were
thoroughly searched, with the result ihat notes and cash amounting to
Rs. 99,452 were temporarily taken away from them. The men were then kept
under strict surveillance in a masjid outside the front gate of the Agency for a
month, after which they seemed glad to leave for Bunder Abbas. They had
missed one down-steamer, owing to her coming in after dark and leaving early
the following morning in rough weather.
With regard to the case of Shaikh Ali-bin-Ahmad, the Chief’s nephew,
who lias been living in Bombay under police supervision since August 1905,
it has transpired that during the earlier months of the year under report Shaikh
Esa was being subjected to constant pressure by bis peers, the Sultan of Maskat
and the Chief of Koweit, as well as by the youthful members of his family to
forgive the exile and approach the Government of India for the remission of
the balance of the sentence. In the result a first reference was made to this
Agency on the 26th September 1907, and, though the subsequent negotiations
were delayed by the absence of the Political Agent on leave and by the advent
of the month of Ramadhan, the question had progressed to the point of Shaikh
Ali submitting certain conditions in writing, for the governing of his future
conduct in January 1908. Tlie.se conditions wereslightly revised under instruc­
tions from the Political Resident, and at the close of the year the release and
return of the detenu to Bahrein was becoming imminent.
The Customs Administration of Bahrein was carried on this year without
hitch, the Manager and Accountants being Hindus, while an Arab watched the
management on behalf of the Chief. It is believed that Shaikh Esa has barely
received a lakh of rupees as revenue from this source, though he has evinced
no discontent, being satisfied probably that the diminution is totally attri­
butable to the slackness of trade. He characteristically contrived, however, to
cut his coat to his cloth, by discouraging his Bedouin friends of the mainland
from approaching him and refusing absolutely to send any of his subjects
boats over to provide them with free communication with the islands.
The Turkish Postal forwarding Agent, Abdur Raliim-bin-Othman, men-
tioned in last year’s report, left Bahrein in haste and panic during the course
of the plague epidemic, and did not return before the close of the year.
His far from onerous duties were performed during his absence by two or
three friends under, presumably, some private arrangement.
Judicial.—Six hundred and ninety-four civil plaints and 234 criminal
complaints were received and disposed of during the year under report.