Page 324 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

126
CHAPTER EIGHTH.

(IX)—Piracies in 1902 and proposal of the Chief of Bahrein to main­
tain an armed dhow for pursuit of pirates, 1902-1903.
471. Ia 1902 thoro was recrudosocncc of piracies in tho vicinity of Katif
and Bahrein, committed by a parly of
Secret E., January 1901, No*. 118-130.
Beni Ilajir under tho leadership of tho
notorious Ahmed-biu-Solman. In July 1902 they stopped a boat at Soualis, with
which thoy crossed to tho island of U m Nasan, and on 4th August captured
a Bahrein dhow of 28 tons burden, which was lying there to load lime for
Bahrein, by means of which dhow, some ton days later they waylaid and robbed
another Bahrein boat of Thaein iu tho Katar peuinsula, of property valued at
$ 5,400.
472. In his letter No. 167, dated 8th December 1902, Colonol Komball
reported that Ahmed-bin-Sclman belonged to
No. 123.
tho Al Khalifa branch of the Bahrein Sheikhs,
and had been once a subject of Bahrein, but bad long since turned au outlaw,
lie first settled on Katar but had removed to Katif before the recent piracies
were committed. In these circumstances the chief of Katar could not be bold
responsible for those piracies. The chief of Bahrein proposed that he should be
permitted to employ an armed dhow in pursuit of the pirates. He believed that
a small vossel like a dhow at his disposal could pursue the pirates’ boats at a
moment’s notice and with great facility and quickness iu the narrow channels
between Katif and Katar, and Colonel Komball was inclined to think (paragraph
Ko 133 last of his letter No. 167, dated 8th Decem­
ber 1902), that the chief might be given the
permission applied for on tho following conditions :—
(i) That the permission of the Assistant Political Agent at Bahrein bo
obtained in the first iustanco;
(ii) that ono of the Chief’s sons or other responsible person be put in
charge of tho boat;
(iii) that the operations of the boat ho confined to the seas between a
point north of Rus Tanoura and eastward round of the Katar
peninsula towards the neighbourhood of Bidaa.
473. The Government of India then addressed tho following lettor to Sir
C. C. Drury, Commanding His Majesty’s Naval Forces, East Indies Station
(No. 675-E., dated 16th April 1903):—
Under the terms of the agreement which he executed in 1861, tho Sheikh of Bahreiu
Ko< j24^ is bound to abstain from any act of aggression
or retaliation at sea, and any departure from the
principle of this agreement might ho attended by undesirable risks. At the same time
there would probably be considerable advantage in making some special arrangement
for the patrolling or policing of the waters in this neighbourhood; not only on account
of the increased security which should result, but also from the point of view that earlier
and more aocurate information might, if suitable measures were adopted, be obtained as to
the condition of affairs on tho neighbouring mainland. In the circumstances, I am to invite
any suggestions or advice which Your Excellency may be in position t) offer on the subject.
The alternatives which present themselves to the Government of India arc:—
(i) the maintenance at Bahrein of an armed dhow of the class that has, it is
understood, been recently employed with good effect in checking piracy and
the trade in arms in tho Gulf of Aden and the lied Sea; or
(ii) the maintenance by the Sheikh, at his own expense, of a dhow manned by his
own subjects, but which would be commanded by a junior British officer
lent from the Royal Navy or from the Royal Indiau Marino, to ensure that
it only employed for proper purposes.
If Your Excellency is able to prnposo any preoiso arrangements, I am to request that
an estimate of the probable cost may, if possible, be furnished. On receipt of Your
Excellency's reply, tho Government of India propose to address His Majesty’s Secretary
of State.

m