Page 704 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR 1011.
102
l'8 authority, which he is in consequence rather chary of exercising. There
will probably be serious trouble with them some day.
There is always an underlying feeling of dislike and distrust between
♦be local Arabs and the Persian settlers, but it did not become acute at any
time during the year. The death of a Persian boy by a shooting accident in
the house of one of the minor Shaikhs wras resented and noisily proclaimed
^3 murder, by the mother. There was excellent evidence to prove that the
boy accidentally shot himself, but some anxiety was aroused. All that was
possible was done to relieve it and the incident had no untoward sequel.
The usual signs of the absence of an effective Administration have been
_ ... in evidence throughout the year in the
Province of Hasa. From the outsiders*
point of view, the most significant is the chronic insecurity of the Okair-Hasa
trade route, which reacts on the trade of Bahrain.
Considerable activity was diplayed in various directions by the Turkish
authorities. A Customs import duty of 11 per cent, ad valorem, was imposed
on goods of non-Turkish origin, and it is understood that it is being collected.
A proposal to take a census aroused strong local resentment, and appears to
have been dropped. A proposal to imposo a duty on pearls at Katif was
also abandoned.
At one time it was stated that a big fort was to be constructed at Okair.
A detachment of troops was posted at ’Awamiyah, and the fort at ’Anik
was repaired.
Local subscriptions were raised in spring for the Turkish fleet, and in
winter for the Turco-Italian War.
Negotiations were carried on throughout the year between the Turkish
cuthorities at Katif and Kasa, and the Al-bu-’Ainain at Kasr-as-Subaih, and
there is little doubt that the Turks intend to assert their claims to jurisdic­
tion over the place by posting a garrison and planting their flag.
A new Mutassarif took over charge of Hasa in June, but rumoured
tours by him to Katif, Kasr-as-Subaih and Katr have not yet taken place.
In the first hi.if of the year, Abdul Aziz-Ibn-Sa’ud made himself a
source of trouble and anxiety to the townspeople of Hasa (Hofuf). He was
in the pursuit of property robbed by the Ajman residing at Raqaiqah, He
was eventually satisfied and took his departure. Earlier in the year he had
threatened Katif.
Katr did not add much to its history during the year. Sheikh Kasirn-
bin-Thani is still the Supreme Ruler, but
Katr.
at Dohah, the only important town and
port, he is represented by his fourth son Abdullah.
The policy of excluding foreigners from Katr has been strictly main­
tained. Two cases are known to have occurred in which foreign visitors
were expelled, and even in Dobah there are said to be no foreign traders.
The presence of Turkish troops at the latter place is, however, still toler­
ated. Towards the end of the year, the garrison was stated to be 58 soldiers,
two Dhabits, one gunner and two guns.
Investigations made during the year confirmed the fact that Katr is the
centre of a very large arms traffic (see above). Apart from the wholesale
trade, rifles are said to be more or less openly on sale in some dozen and half
^ops in the Dohah bazaar.
In October, Shaikh Kasim and his son Abdullah were invited by His
Britannic Majesty’s Political Resident to enter into an agreement with the
British Government similar to that of Shaikh Mubarak of Kuwait to put
down the trade. But they declined, asserting that there was no necessity as
the trade did not exist in Katr. The Political Agent paid a visit to Katr in
September and met, and was well received by, Shaikh Kasim at Lusail, and
Bhaikh Abdullah at Dohah.
The migration of the Al-bu-’Ali clan from Dohah to Darin has already
been mentioned above.