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in Muharraq and Head held private meetings on the sub­

ject, and began to organise petitions and general
opposition. A small section of the Manama Shias, one

particular faction,combined with the Arabs and entered
into a solemn agreement that they would work together
with the Arabs against the Government in this or any
future question which appeared.to require combined op­

position. It is many years since an alliance of this
nature was made by the Bahama with the Arabs.
A number of local notables as well as the members of

the Itinicipal councils were sent for by me and the mat­
ter was explained to them again. They all understood

and in most cases the younger and more progressive men
expressed their approval, but the old conservative type
of men did not. All of them said that the general pub­
lic were apposed to the measure as they had heard various

incorrect statements about it. It was afterwards ascer-
tained that deliberate propaganda organised partly by the

Sunni Kadis and by a certain faction in Muharraq and
Hedd had been spread among the illiterate and ignorant
people who form the greater proportion of the population
of those two towns. They were told that the Government

meant to take one quarter of the property of everyone
who dsd died; that all women who died were to be medically

examined; that the families of people who died would be
instantly turned out of their houses, and many other
alarming stories.
All this time Shaikh Hamad was out at Sakhir, but

Shaikh Abdulla was in LSuharraq. This was the time of
the Residentfs visit to Hassa and there is no doubt

that Ms presence here had the effect of postponing the
disturbances which ocurred later on.

it