Page 350 - Records of Bahrain (1) (ii)_Neat

r

706 Records of Bahrain

9
31. Captain Jones, in submitting the correspondence between him and Sir
Henry Rawlinson and Captain Pclly, asked for instructions of Government, and
the following was the reply given by the Bombay Government (letter No. 045,
dated the 8th September i860):—
" In reply I am desired to inform you that copies of this correspondence will be for­
warded to Her Majesty’s Secretary of State by the next Overland Mail, and the attention
Her Majesty's Government solicited to the inportant subject under discussion.
In the meantime and until the pleasure of Her Majesty's Government is ascertained
the Governor in Council has the following plain instructions to impress on you (or your
guidance with reference to the complications which now surround the Bahrein question.
The dependence or independence of Bahrein is a subject for the consideration of Her
Majesty's Government and no exertion should be spared by you to preserve tranquillity
in the Gulf by the diplomacy, or if necessary by pacific demonstrations, until the question
has been determined.
But whether the Sheikh of Bahrein displays the ensigns of Persia or of Turkey, he can
never be permitted to make hostile encroachments on tribes under the protection of the
British Government. Any measures of this nature the Governor in Council anticipates will
be immediately curbed by a peremptory expression of the Resident's will, supported, if
necessary, by a naval determination.
An actual resort to force, which might be justifiable under Article IV of the Treaty
with the Sheikhs of Bahrein of 1820, for the coercion of the Chief, should, if possible, be
avoided, as tending to engage the British Government in hostilities not merely with a
petty Chief in the Gulf, but with one or other of two powers at present in alliance with
England. On the other hand, it is desirable that you should sternly control any attempt of
any neighbouring tribe, or confederation of tribes, to assail the integrity of Bahrein.
Th’c more difficult question remains, as to the manner in which attempts to assert their
claims on Bahrein either by Persia or Turkey arc to be met. Captain Lewis Pclly writing
without knowledge that the Sheikh had displayed the Turkish flag, deprecates resistance to
any attempt on the part of Persia to occupy Bahrein. It may be gathered from his despatches
and those of Sir Henri Rawlinson that such an attempt was deemed improbable.
The indication of the Sheikh’s allegiance to Turkey may, however, lead to some
demonstration of the kind. The Governor in Council deems it therefore advisable to ins­
truct you not to interfere with any occupation of Bahrein cither by Persia or Turkey,
further than by protest, and by an intimation that the subject has been remitted for consi­
deration by Her Majesty's Government. You should at the same time distinctly inform
the Agents of either power that no hostile attempt by Bahrein, or in the name of Bahrein,
1 on the neighbouring tribes will be permitted, and that any such attempt will be opposed
by force.
; In communicating these instructions for your guidance the object of this Government
is to leave Her Majesty's Government without embarrassment in dealing with the Bahrein
1
question, while at the same time the tranquillity of the Gulf, the security of the maritime
tribes, and the.prestige of British authority will be preserved.
I arn desired to add that the tenor of your despatch to Her Majesty's Ambassador at
Constantinople is approved."
3a. The Bombay Government also in their despatch No. 37, dated the nth
September i860, requested the instructions of the Secretary of State for the
guidance of the Political Resident, Bushirc, observing as follows
“ It appears to this Government that the tranquillity of the Persian Gulf which
has been so long preserved by the policy of the British Government demands
that Bahrein should be regarded as subject neither to the Sublime Porte nor to
Persia ; but that its independence should be recognised, while those engage-
ments are maintained, which in the interests of commerce, humanity, and public
security it has concluded with the British Government.
11 The status quo appears to us to be the alternative suggested by every consi­
deration of good policy in preference to a recognition of the claims either of
Turkey or Persia ; claims the establishment of which would lead to no good
result to Bahrein, or to either of the contending powers, while to the best interests
of the maritime tribes of Oman it would be disastrous.”
33. The Secretary of State expressed approval of the views of the
Bombay Government in his despatch No. a,
Volaa* Bjol l66i.
dated 10th February 1861.
[C943FD] C