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            obtaining the sanction of a Court. This last provision was objected to as
            interested persons are usuully able to divide up a deceased’s moveables before
            the case conics before a Qadhi, and this proclamation was specifically designed
            to prevent such action. The llon’ble the Political Resident was in the vicinity
            and the malcontents remained quiet intentionally or otherwise until he had left
            Bahrain and the matter then came to a head. The agitation started in
            Muharraq and Kidd and had undoubtedly been in existence some time before
            anything was heard of it owing to inefficient police arrangements. Shaikh
            Abdullah bin Isa A1 Khali fall was undoubtedly well aware of what was going
           on, but took no useful action, and later showed some sympathy with the
            agitators. The proclamation was misrepresented in every possible way,  one
            rumour being that no dead might be buried without the Government’s per­
           mission.
               The troublo then spread to Manamah and the bazaars were closed from the
            9th to the 11th February. Unfortunately Shaikh Ilamad was due to puy his
           Id visit to Muharraq and an early settlement had to be made. The Adviser
            asked the Political Agent to re-issue a similar Agency proclamation of 1931 to
            show Bahrain subjects that the idea was not a new one, and that foreigners
           were liable to similar regulations. This was done, but it proved to be an
           unfortunate step. Excitement then prevailed amongst the foreign community
           as well as the Bahrainis and large bodies of Persian swarmed over from
           Muharraq. The Political Agent held a prolonged meeting with their leaders
           and, after he had succeeded in separating the Persians from the Arabs, was
            able to pacify them by slightly modifying the proclamation though not in any
           essential feature.
               Shaikh Hamad bad in the meantime exhibited characteristic weakness for
            although he met the first deputation that went to meet him at Sakhir with
            firmness, he threw away the advantage he had gained by asking them at the
            end ‘ What do you want me to do ? ’ He sent a confidential messenger in at
           night to ask if the Bahrain Government proclamation should not be secretly
            removed in the night, to which the Political Agent objected. On the night of
            the 10th February, however, unknown persons removed it and the Agency
            proclamation and the Shaikh accepted the fait accompli.
               As a result of this agitation the friends of the Government harmed them­
            selves and the Government itself suffered a severe set-back. Fortunately they
            recovered all their lost prestige in the firm handling of the divers’ riot. There
            is little doubt that the Sunni Qadhis were in full sympathy with the agitation.
               21. Divers’ Riot.—On the 25th May a divers’ agitation for increased salaf
            came to a head when some ringleaders were arrested. The salaf had been fixed
            at Rs. 30 for divers and Rs. 25 for haulers, an uncomfortably low figure, but
            all that the industry could afford after three bad years. Certain men had
            busied themselves in stirring up their fellow divers to refuse these terms
            (although representatives of the divers had been present when the usual meeting
            to fix the rates had been held) and met with a ready response from the more
            turbulent section of foreign divers, a motley crowd of blacks, Somalis, Had-
            hramaufis and wild men from the interior of the Arab Coast generally. Shaikh
            Abdullah warned the Adviser that there were signs of trouble at Muharraq and
           on the 25th certain ring-leaders were arrested. Next day the trouble com­
            menced with dramatic suddenness. Shaikh Abdullah and the Amir had come
            over to Manamah to discuss the matter with the Adviser, and were on their
            way back to Muharraq, when the Adviser received news that a very large body
            of men had landed on the Manamah-Muharraq causeway and were coming to
            his office. Apparently they made for the Police Station, for before the Adviser
            had reached it they had wrecked it and rescued a ring-leader imprisoned the
            day before. The Political Agent proceeded to join the Adviser as early as
            possible and met him at. the Police Station, which was found to have a door
            and two windows burst, in, the glass being in fragments. On the way to the
            Police Station, the Political Agent drove through a section of the mob and had
            occasion to notice their ugly temper.
               The Adviser had sent up to the Fort, fof the available Indian Police, and
            ho and the Political Aeent proceeded there to expedite matters. Some thirty
           men were hastilv armed and a passing lorrv commandeered and the little force
            returned to the Police Station to find a rabble of some 1,500 divers armed with
            clubs, sticks and crowbars, evidontlv in a state of considerable excitement,
            while a crowd of about a thousand looked on from tl\ houses and other coigns
            lc338FD
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