Page 346 - Records of Bahrain (1) (ii)_Neat

702 Records of Bahrain

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Chapter II.—Mahomed bin Abdullah bin Ahmed’s threatened attack
against Bahrein and piracies, (2) His expulsion from Damaum, 1859.
35. The calm lasted only for a short time. Notwithstanding repeated
warnings from the Resident (Captain Felix
»nd solemn assurances of pacific
m*nt, Velum* ioo-a. 0! i860. intentions from the Feysal, in dchancc
even of..the presence of a British corvette,
extensive preparations for the invasion of Bahrein were made at Katif and Da­
maum, including the piratical seizure of some Turkish and Persian vessels and the’
-
impressment of their crews for service in the projected expedition. Hereupon
Commodore Balfour was despatched with the Persian Gulf Squadron to the scene
of action, and the very thicatcning attitude assumed by this olficcr soon induced
the Wahabi Governor of Katif to abandon his designs, and humbly sue for
pardon. In reporting the Commodore’s success, the Resident expressed an
opinion that we had borne too long with Feysal, who, while giving us fair words,
still falsified all he said by steadily pursuing his fixed object of universal
dominion along the coast. He recommended direct reprisals upon the ports from
which the recent piracies had been effected ; " the pirates ", lie added, " of the
Eastern Archipelago, of Tunis, Algiers, of Riff, and Salce have all had their
visitation, and no humane Government has ever questioned the legality of such
reprisals" There was some correspondence on this occasion between Feysal
and the Resident. Feysal, after justifying his proceedings on the ground that the
Sheikh of Bahrein was one of his own feudatories, whom for his various misdeeds
he had a perfect right to chastise, protested against British interference in the
following terms:—"Between the Wahabi Amir and the British Government
Treaties have been made by the several authorities, authority after authority ;
and, ir. accordance with treaties between the Wahabi Amir and the Sultan Abdul
Mejid, there arc matters which every one is precluded from meddling with,
unless on special grounds." To this the Resident replied by declaring that the
British Government recognised Bahrein as an independent Chiefship, and was
prepared to oppose all foreign agency, including that of His Highness the Amir,
by every means in its power; he also pointed out the inconsistency of Feysal.
liming to be dependent upon Turkey at the same time that Feysal’s
.icutenant at Katif was committing piracy on vessels bearing the Turkish flag.

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