Page 398 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

96 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY

was a resident of Katar, but settled down in Darin on Tarut Island opposite
Katif about 30 years ago. This cunning old Arab, who was by profession
a pearl merchant, had long been a personal friend of Sheikh Esa of Bahrain
whom he used formerly to advise in a sense adverse to British interests,
lie was also intimately connected with Sheikh Jasim bin Thani by marriage.
Of late years his influence had waned, and he avoided Bahrain as lie owed
some R20.000 to one or two Hindu firms in Manama.
The customs farm of Ilasa, Katif and Ojair for the year commencing
14th March 1908 was re-sold to the Bin Faris Bin Akhwan Syndicate for
10,000 liras, again making a decrease of 3,000 liras on the previous year’s
price.
In April 1908, it was reported that some 31,000 cattle, valued at 125,000
liras had died in Hasa of disease, presumably anthrax.
rirociw. No true piracies were committed during the period under report, though
two or three conflicts at sea occurred in connection with the hot-weather
struggle between the Bedouin and the settled people of Katif.
It was rumoured that Ahmad bin Salman was engaged on the side of
the Bedouin, but he is not known ever to have put to sea this year.
Political Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., paid his annual visit to Bahrain on the 18th and
Rcnidcot'a
Yi.it. 19th May 1908 in the II. I. M. S. Lawrence. The Chief went out as usual
to the steamer to welcome the Resident to his State, after which Major Cox
landed at the Agency and received visits from the European community and
the leading Muhammadan and Hindu residents. On the following morning
the Political Resident called on the Sheikh at his residence in Muharraq
and at 2 p.m. he left in the Lawrence for Bushire.
VI.it. of
GoTCiomeot The R. I. M. S. Lawrence called at Bahrain on the 18th May with the
▼end.. Political Resident on board and left on the following day. She came again
on the 17th September to tow the Agency steam launch down to the Bombay
dockyard, and returned to Bahrain on the 2nd December with the same
vessel in tow, as well as with the Koweit Agency launch.
On the 18th December, the Lawrence again visited Bahrain with Mr.
C. Akers, deputed by the Board of Trade, and Captain A. P- Trevor, First
Assistant Resident, on board.
H. M. S. Sphinx paid visits to the port of three days’ duration in June
and four days in July. On the first occasion Commander Litchfield, R.N.,
called on the Chief in Muharraq and received a return visit on board the
following day, firing a salute of 5 guns as Sheikh Esa left the vessel for the
shore.
H. M. S. Lapwing spent 26 days in Bahrain and Katif waters during
May, June, July and August of which 19 days were in the last named month.
II. M. S. Redbreast was 38 days in the same waters between June 22nd
and September 5th, her stay of longest duration being 20 days from August
13th onwards.
The only foreign man-of-war to visit the port during the year was the
French gun boat Surprise, which arrived from Koweit on the 4th April and
left for the Trucial Oman Coast two days later. The Commander, Lieutenant
Maxime Banal, exchanged official visits with the Political Agent and called
on the Chief of Bahrain in Muharraq, borrowing the services of the Agency
Interpreter for the occasion as the ship carried no Arabic linguist. Monsieur
Banal and his wife with two other officers of the ship also drove out to see the
tumuli at Ali with the Political Agent on the afternoon of the 5th April.
Horem.nti On the 20th May 1908, the Political Agent proceeded on four days cruise
of the
Political to Fuwairat and Lusail on the Katar peninsula in the Agency steam launch.
Agent.
On the 31st May, he paid a flying visit to Bushire in II. M. S. Lapwing
to confer with the Political Resident before the latter’s start for Shiraz,
returning to Bahrain on the 4th June.
On the 3rd August, Major Pridcaux proceeded in the H. M. S. Lapwing
to the vicinity of Katif, and visited four of the coastal villages of the oasis