Page 123 - Personal Column (Charles Belgrave)_Neat

father for thirty years, ancl Marjorie and I had been considering for some
Shias objected to the anti-British attitude of the Sunnis, realizing that the time when we should leave Bahrain. I had told the Shaikh that it was
British had done much to help them. Bakr had gone to Cairo, where he about time that I retired, but he urged me to stay on for a while, so I
was feted by the Egyptians, and he made violently anti-British speeches. suggested to him that I should leave in the autumn of 1957. He knew that
The Shaikh agreed to see four members of the ‘new’ Committee and the British authorities would like me to leave as soon as possible, tearing
meetings began at the Rafaa palace, which lasted through the next two
that my presence might provoke more active aggression from The
months. Committee. He deeply resented having his hand torced, but the pressure
I and four members of the Administrative Council were present with was obliged to make public
from the British was strong, and in August he
the Shaikh at the meetings. At first The Committee members objected to
the fact that I was retiring, though no definite date was mentioned. This
my being there but the Shaikh told them, forcibly, that; ho wished me to
news was greeted by The Committee as a major success, but many ot the
be present and would listen to no demands that I should leave his service. Arabs regarded it as a mere sop by the British to The Committee and a
The talks covered many subjects, but The Committee members seemed to weakening of the Shaikh’s own position. For me it was all most dis-
have lost interest in matters which had figured prominently in their agreeable. Again my name was in every newspaper under such captions
manifestoes such as the law code, labour legislation, education and public as4 “Strong man” Briton sacked by F.O.’.and ‘Sir Charles of the Gulf is
health. They did, however, object very strongly to a Press law which sacked’, which, had it been true, would have been an ignominious finale.
would restrict the contents of their pamphlets and notices, and their anger During these trying months my family was in England, and I missed
was roused by an order forbidding ‘private armies*. They had recently very much not being able to discuss the position with them. Now, more
begun to enlist and drill uniformed men who they described as ‘Scouts’. than ever before, I appreciated being able to get away for week-ends to
When this was forbidden they threatened to complain to the Boy Scouts Jidda island where there were no telephones, newspaper men or other
organization—to which they did not belong—which would not have tiresomeness. Often I went on Thursday evening, returning at dawn on
recognized these full-grown men as ‘Boy Scouts’. Saturday. It was then that the Budcya road looked its best, the thin rays
The negotiations dragged on. Agreements recorded at one meeting of early sun lighting the vivid green patches of lucerne growing under
were repudiated by The Committee members at the next meeting; when the date-palms, and the bunches of red, gold and purple dates suspended
an agenda was approved they refused to discuss the subjects on it, pro­ round the tops of the trees like ballet skirts of dancing girls. I felt refreshed
ducing new matters, and they frequently had arguments among them­ after these lazy simple-life week-ends in the open air.
selves. The way in which the negotiations were conducted would be the The prospect of my departure did not strengthen The Committee s
nightmare of some staid official in Whitehall. The British urged the position, which was contrary to what I had expected. Possibly in order
Shaikh to adopt a policy of appeasement, but soon even they realized that, to camouflage their declining influence they let it be known that they
although the Shaikh did his best to reach an agreement, no progress was had agreed with the Resident not to make any trouble while he was on
being made. Finally, without giving any reason, The Committee suddenly leave provided that I was got rid of. The fact that this story gained cre­
broke off negotiations. dence was an indication of how much British prestige had declined. At
The publicity which was given to the meetings did The Committee l this time two leading Arabs, a Sunni and a Shia, came to see me. They
no good; people realized that its object was not to benefit the public but had been trying, independently, to negotiate a settlement between the
to increase its own power. Notices, pamphlets and anonymous letters Shaikh and The Committee but had given up the attempt. They now
became wilder. Arabs who opposed The Committee were threatened, solemnly warned me that The Committee was determined, if they did
and there were cases of incendiarism in their shops. The Committee issued not get all that they asked for, to overthrow the Government and remove
ultimatums, which fizzled out like damp squibs; they threatened a general the Shaikh. They begged me to keep this to myself, which I did. It was
strike if I did not go, but when the Shaikh refused to accede to this demand disturbing news but not altogether a surprise.
the strike did not come off, though his reply did not please the British Bakr returned at the end of September, full of new ideas which he
authorities. had acquired in Cairo. Again the public sat back waiting to see what
I was now sixty-one years old and had served the Shaikh and his
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