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CHAPTER VIII.
Administration Report of tiie Bahrain Agency for tiie year 1931.
Personnel.—Captain C. G. Prior held charge of the Agency throughout thq
year.
Khan Bahadur Saiyid Saddiq Hasan held charge of the duties of Indian Assist
tant unt il the 14th April when he left for India being succeeded by Khan Bahadur
Abdul Haiy. Saiyid Saddiq proceeded to Kandahar where he had been trans­
ferred as British Consul.
Pie had an exceptional knowledge of Arabic, and his transfer was a great loss
to the Agency, for he was much liked and respected both by the Shaikhs and tho
.leading merchants.
Ruler of Bahrain and the Al Khalifa Family.—Shaikh Hamad has been on
excellent terms with tho Agency throughout tho year, and with the return of
Dr. Holmes his health improved. He agreed to a 10 per cent, cut in the Al Khalifa
family allowances, but made no attempt to reduce his personal expenditure and
is now in financial difficulties. Pic has little sense of values and gave unnecessarily
large presents to his many visitors during the year. His Excellency is of too
generous a disposition and these self invited visitors, who are almost all neighbour­ i
ing shaikhs, have no object in coming other than lining their pockets, for in
these parts the host is expected to give his guests presents and tip their servants
lavishly. Shaikh Hamad cannot be made to realise that the more he gives to
these people, the more will come to Bahrain. If taken to task, His Excellency
will say that he does it to serve the British Government by demonstrating to his
neighbours the wealth and happiness he enjoys in the shadow of His Majesty’s
Government.
Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa is apparently genuinely interested in his portfolio of
Education, but shows a tendency to pass on more disagreeable problems to the
Adviser for disposal. He took his usual hunting trips to the mainland, seeking
bhstards and bedouin brides with equal zeal.
Shaikh Muhammad bin Isa proceeded to India for the sake of his health at
the close of the year. His real object in going was to save money, since he gets
free tickets from the British India Steam Navigation Company and he finds he can
live cheaper in Bombay than Bahrain. An improvement in the Manama Munici­
pality is always noticeable when his brother, Shaikh Abdulla, takes over his duties
as President.
Shaikh Salman has done good work on the Bahrain Court and is the only
member of his family who is not afraid of hard work. The Bahrain Court are
handicapped by a tendency on the part of Shaikh Hamad to revise their orders
when they give decisions unfavourable to prominent men, but with the death of
Shaikh Isa and the accession of Shaikh Hamad, Shaikh Salman’s position will
become much stronger. Shaikh Salman is on excellent terms with the Agency.
Shaikh Rashid bin Muhammad is President of the Majlis al Urfl, or Commer­
cial Court, and also the Diving Court. He has little influence, but has done quite
well.
Shaikh Mubarak bin Hamad shows promise on the Lower Bahrain Court and has
done well. Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad has not much character, but is the most
intelligent of the Shaikh.’s sons, and now that he has been provided with glasses
he is making most praiseworthy efforts to remedy his lack of education.
The Political Agent’s efforts to persuade Shaikh Hamad to see that his two
youngest sons, Daij and Ahmad, received some education did not meet with much
success, but a local man has been found to teach them two mornings a week. It
was suggested that three mornings a week would be more useful, but His Excellency
felt this would be too great a strain for his Benjamin, Daij.
Bahrain State.—Mr. Belgrave proceeded on leave on the 12th April and re­
turned on the28th October. During his absence Captain Parke acted for him. He
was accoidcd an enthusiastic iec€pticn on his rctuin, and the Shuikh seemed glad
to have him back,
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