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way ns tlic Sheikh had chosen bis; and that, if they showed any personal feoling in the matter
such bine would be counterbalanced by the votes of tho opposite side. It was not venfonablo'
he suid, that the Sheikh should sock to have tho whole Court on his side. lie udded that it
was the second time that. Mubarak had raised objections to tho nominees, and that, as regards
tho umpire, he hnd consented to leavo tho clioico to tho arbitrators themselves who had unani­
mously selected the Nakib’s brother ns being a man of great intelligence and, living much
apart, tho M ali onsiderod him to bccnliiely without bias. lie finally legged mo to commu-
nioato with the Sheikh, and to do what was possible to \ revent the arrangements from faili. c
through. b
I told the Wnli that the Sheikh might have good enuso to distrust the umpire. I did not
attach much importance to tho personal feolings of the nephews’ arbitrators, as their voices
would be mot by those of Mubarak’s representative, and I judged tho latter capable of defend­
ing his interest. But it was esseutial, i thought, t» have a trustworthy and impartial person
ns umpire. Personally, I told him, I approved of Saiyid Ahmed, but I was new to the place
and could not trust my own judgment entirely in the matter. I promised His Excellency to
communicate with Mubarak and to try and bring him to terms.
I accordingly telegraphed to Your Excc’lency and to India on 25th April, and wrote
privately to the Resident at Bushire, requesting him to urge the Sheikh to withdraw his
objections and not to jeopardise the arbitration. I told him I thought Mubarak's interestf
were in good hands, and that ho might rest assured I would watch them and exert mysela
on his behalf.
I then had another interview with the umpire Saiyid Ahmed, and found that he had no
knowledge of the Sheikh’s objections to himself, and, as l hoped that the arrangements would
ultimately remain undisturbed, 1 did not think it necessary to enlighten him.
On 5th May the Resident at Bushire sent mo copies of his letter to Mubarak, and of the
answer he had received He a1 si sent me translations of the corrcsp- ndence which had passed
between the Sheikh and the Wali. I he Resident asked my opinion as to what he should
say in reply. The Sheikh, in these letters stated his reasons for objecting to his nephews’
arbitrators, and claimed that, according to the text of the Imperial Irade, they should be
parsons without connection with, or interest in, either side.
.He said he had personal reasons for distrusting tho umpire, and did (not wish to trouble
him. Kaitas he denounced as hostile to himself and an open friend of his arch-enemy, Yusuf-
el-lbrahim. Mo suggested Mr. L\le, Mes^is. Grey, Mackenzie’s Basrah Agent, or Khalil
Effendi, the Vila\et Hrngoman, as umpire. Colonel Kemball informed me privately that,
he thought we should he accepting responsibility if we advised tho Sheikh to accept arbitrators
or an umpire of whom he disapproved, and suggested that the Sheikh's objections to Saiyid
Ahmed might be well grounded, as Mubarak knew him better than wo did.
On 10th May the Wali t -ld niche wished to meet the Sneikh’s wishes as far as possible,
in order not to delay the settlement, and stated that he had written to Mubarak after con­
sulting his representatives, and had proposed the Murti as umpire, and two Sheikhs of Zobeir
jn place of the persons eliminated.
On 11th May the Resident at Bushire was informed of tho chango, and was asked to urge
the Sheikh not to ra’sc fresh obstacles, unless he had grave cause for contesting the eligilility
of the persons now chosen. 1 observed that, as the Wali had di>played goodwill, the Sheikh,
on his ride, should show compliance, and that his representatives were entitled to his confidence^
This correspondence was forwarded to Your Excellency in my despatch No. 21 (Confi-
dential) of 11th May. I did not enchsu translations of tho Sheikh’s correspondence with the
Wali, as 1 presumed these would reach Your Excellency through the Government of
India.
On 18th May Abdul Wahab-»1 Kartas, with whom Iliad discussed the arbitration, called
on me, and stated be was submitting a joint, proposal with Haji Mansur to tho Sheikh, by
which the nephews agreed to accept less than tbgir rights. Thin, he said, would obviate the
necessity of arbitration if accepted by Mubarak.
1 replied that, the Wali had already mentioned the subject to me, and that I 6aw no
objection, provided it was a bond fide scheme. lie explained the claims of the nephew’s, andl
shid I was glad to hear the views of the opposite side, but tnat, without consulting Mubarak’s
rrpresenti-tives, I could not po*sib!y say whether they would prove acceptable to tho Sheikh
or not.
I then asked the Wali whether ho know tho terms of the proposed scheme, and ho admitted
that he did not, but 6aid that they were approved by Haji Mansur. I communicated with
the latter, and asked for a statement of Mubarak’s claim. But he said bo could tell mo nothing
till he had heard from Mubarak himself, and, although I sent him a copy of Kartas expose
of the nephew's claims, lie declined to criticise it for tho present.
On the May tho Resident at Buthiro telegraphed to me that Mubarak oceeptfd the
Court of arbitration and had signed and returned the reference to the M ah. Tho ooeiKn
stated that Yusuf-el-Ilrahim had returned to Dora.