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and the other elected. The Ruler sought the Agent’s approval of these measures and,

without hesitation, the Agent agreed. 414

The new policy by the Ruler eased political tensions once again. The HEC’s

gathering took place as scheduled on 7 October and was attended by approximately

four thousand people. The HEC’s Secretary indicated at the meeting that

discussions had been conducted with the Ruler but resulted in his agreeing to only a

few of the demands presented to him. 415

Sheikh Salman published a proclamation on 15 October which confirmed the

establishment of half-appointed, half-elected councils for health, education, and

municipal affairs. As for the Penal Code, the Ruler declared that the Administration

had ‘asked for an expert in Law to study it and to report to us on what it is

contravening the Sharia’ (Islamic Law). 416 Burrows considered this to be ‘a big step

forward in the development of the elective principle in Bahrain, and indeed in

Persian Gulf affairs’. Although he seemed dubious about the outcome. 417

Regrettably the political breakthrough was short-lived. The HEC published a

circular on 20 October that highlighted its disappointment with the recent reforms

undertaken. The Party also demanded ‘reforms’ in the departments of public

security and the Administration’s judiciary system, two points it believed to have

been overlooked by the Ruler. The circular warned that ‘The authorities should

bear the consequences of what is happening as a result of these excesses and this

414 TNA, FO 371/114587, Gault to FO, 6 October 1955.
415 TNA, FO 1016/442, Report on the H.E.C. Meeting Held Yesterday 7 October in Masjid Moamin in
th
Memory of Al Hussain bin Ali.
416 TNA, FO 1016/388, Proclamation by the Ruler of Bahrain, 15 October 1955.
417 TNA, FO 371/120540, Bernard Burrows, The Resident’s Annual Report for the Year 1955.

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