Page 302 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

292 Records of Bahrain

renewal of the System which prevailed during the period of their
former ascendancy - He Is now the only person who dares to
justify the seizure of his neighbour's vessels without Che
slightest notice or Shadow of right, and there can be no
security for his not extending the limits of his depredations

and attacking the boats of any other Tribe who may happen to
become obnoxious to him. His force Is at present contemptible
but his proceedings are calculated to attract the unprincipled
and discontented from all parts of the Gulf, and altho I do
not apprehend that there Is any Chieftain at present disposed
to follow his example, it is evident that it must tend to keep
alive the seeds of former irregularities. For these reasons
I take the liberty to offer my decided opinion that some active

measures should be quickly adopted to put a stop to his
predatory career, and prevent the revival of those more extended
disorders which their remaining unnoticed may probably give
rise to.

5. The Government of Bahrein has hitherto submitted to
his insults from mistaken notions of the deference due to us and
to a strict observance of the Treaty but I have fully explained
to Sheikh Abdoola our respect for the free agency of every
Chieftain in the Gulf, and that it is far from our wish that any
state should tamely submit to Injury or oppression; that such

lenity would only tend to encourage the system which it was the
general object to abolish, and that I trusted he would in future
consider himself justified In having recourse to arms, whenever
it became evident that his honor or safety would be compromised

by a longer forbearance. I added, that in compliance with the