Page 262 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

120 PERSIAN GULF ADMINISTRATION REPORT
During; tlio stay of tlicso Turkish troops there was some excitement •
Bahrain, and there wa3 considerable chance of rows occurring between th0ln
and the local Ncjdi population. It was, therefore, suggested that His Maic?
ty's Government might bo moved to inform the Porto that Turkish troo
would not in futuro bo allowed to uso Bahrain as a base for operations on
mainland.
Directly he took ovor tho clc facto administration of the province of Has.
and tho coast towns Bin Saud entered into correspondence with the Resident
and with the Political Agent, Bahrain, with a view to re-establishing what h«
called the “ friendly relations which had existed between the British Govern­
ment and his forebears.” In tho course^ of this correspondence Shaikh Abdul
Aziz expressed a desiro to meet the Political Resident, so Sir Percy Cox su*.
gestod to him that he should come to the coast for a meeting when tho Hesi!
aeut visited Bahrain about tho 20th November 1913.
Unfortunately the Resident’s lotter found Bin Saud at Kasim, at the
othor end of his territory, and it was impossible for him to reach Bahrain in
time. During the Resident’s visit on the 21st November a messenger arrived
from Bin Saud saying that ho regretted he could .not como in time and addin*
that he would reach the coast about the 10th jMoharram (11th December)^
This was, of course, too late for Sir Percy Cox and it was arranged that the
Political Agent, Bahrain, accompanied by Captain Shakes pear, Political
Agent, Kuwait, should go over to Ojair and meet Bin Saud when he reached
the coast.
Accordingly, having hoard from Bin Saud that he would be at Ojair on
the 15th December, the Political Agent accompanied by Captain Shakcspear
loft Bahrain on the morning of the 11th and reached Ojair early on the
loth. Bin Saud, who had arrived about half an hour before, received the
Political Agent on the quay and was most courteous and polite.
Major Trevor and Captain Shakespear spent that day and the next in
Bin Saud’s camp and were most hospitably entertained. The camp broke up
and Bin Saud left for Nejdi about daylight of the 17th, the Political Agent
setting sail shortly after.
Bin Saud was evidently anxious to obtain the good offices of His Majes­
ty’s Government in settling his dispute with the Turkish Government and
expressed himself ready to meet the wishes of Government. He issued orders
to his " Amir ” at Katif to help and protect British Traders, and to settle
their cases and claims (and those of British Prot6g6s also) in consultation
with the Political Agent, Bahrain.
The Political Agent and Captain Shakespear got back to Bahrain on
the evening of the 18th December, having been delayed by calms and a con­
trary wind.
Since the oooupation of the Hasa Province by Bin Saud this route has
been practically safe, and caravans have
Ojair-Haaa Trade Boote.
been passing freely. The Bedouin rob­
bers are at present' too much afraid of Bin Saud to attempt any raids on cara­
vans. .Doubtless this fear will wear off, but it is certain that the state of the
road will be better under Bin Saud’s regime than the Turks; it could not, in
any case* be worse.
After the Amir . Abdul Aziz Bin Saud took Hasa Province there
seemed to be considerable probability
Katr.
that he would overrun Katr also, and
Shaikh Jasim was in considerable trepidation, especially as some coR'
nections of Bin Saud's, the Araif family, who had been1 intriguing against
him, had taken refuge in Katr. Some correspondence passed between Shaikh
Abdul Aziz and Shaikh Jasim, in which the former called upon the latter to
turn out the Turkish garrison and give up the Araif, but Shaikh Jasim de­
clined to do either, the first because he hoped the Turkish garrison would bo
some protection, and the second because it was against Arab usage.
Shaikh Jasim bin Muhammad Ath Thani died on the 17th July 1913, afhR1
a short illness, at a very great age. He was succeeded by his second son Shaikh
Abdullah who had for a number of years been Gove: nor of the port oi