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PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY, 1020. 65

CHAPTER X.

Administration Report of the Bahrain Political Agency for the year
1920.
I.—Personnel.
Charge of the Political Agency was held hy Major Dickson, C.I.E., till
28th November 1920. From 29th November the charge was held by Khan
Sahib Savyad Saddiq Hasan, the Indian Assistant.

II.—Sheikh Isa and Al-Khalifah Family.
Relations with Sheikh Isa have continued fairly satisfactory with the
exception of the following few cases:—
(1) Sheikh Isa imprisoned a Persian who had settled down in Qatar and
latterly in Muharraq for alleged embezzlement, of money belong­
ing to an Arab merchant who had complained to Sheikh Isa.
The Political Agent demanded the man’s release and asked that
the case bo sent to the Agency for investigation. At first
Sheikh Isa refused to release the mon on the plea that lie was
from Qatar and domiciled in Bahrain ; but on further demand
Sheikh Isa asked that he should be put in direct telegraphic com­
munication with Government of India. It was pointed out that
the Bahrain Order in Council clearly laid down the procedure in
such cases, but if he wanted to make any representation to Gov­
ernment it should be sent to Political Agent who would forward
it to higher authorities as usual. Eventually Sheikh Isa released
the Persian concerned and sent him to the Agency and the case
was proceded with in the ordinary way.
(2) In the second case a Shiah Bahrani of village Sinabis (four miles
from Manamah) a subject of Sheikh Isa, took refuge in the Agency
as his house had been surrounded by the Fidawis of Sheikh
Abdullah-bin Ha who had ordered the Bahrani to produce a big
and valuable pearl purchased from Qatif. Sheikh Abdullah’s
avowed object in ordering the production of this pearl was to levy
a large amount as zaka or royalty which is customarily taken by
the Sheikh on an unusually big pearl when one is found in the
Bahrain Fisheries or purchased in Bahrain or its territorial
waters; while the Bahrani was afraid, in light of past ex­
perience of some of his class, that once the pearl got out of his
hands it would never be returned by Sliei kh Abdullah. He
refused therefore to take it to Sheikh Abdullah and shut himself
up in his house, escaping at night when it was being surrounded
by Fidawis with the object of taking the pearl forcibly. As a
refugee he was allowed to stop in the Agency for the night and
sent to Sheikh Isa next morning with a message that the Political
Agent expected that he would not be wronged or persecuted, but
treated in a just and honourable way. Sheikh Isa and his son
Sheikh Abdullah were greatly chagrined, but left the Bahrani
unmolested and he was enabled to take his pearl to Bombay for
sale. ;
(3) Government’s decision on the four requests made in London by
Sheikh Abdullah on behalf of his father was conveyed in June.
As was to be expected each of the four requests was disallowed
by Government as unreasonable and Sheikh Isa and his sons were
extremely disappointed and showed their disappointment and