Page 38 - Personal Column (Charles Belgrave)_Neat

oil. This custom went back to the clays when Arab tribes from outside
Years before oil was discovered we embarked on several big projects.
Bahrain used to rally round the Shaikh if there was any trouble, and the
In the Bower House, providing Manama with electricity, began to
Shaikhs of Bahrain used to pay subsidies to the tribal chiefs. After organ­
operate; the supply was extended to Muharraq in the following year,
izing a police force I said to the Shaikh, ‘Now that we have our own
Work was begun on the causeway between Manama and Muharraq. In
police, which cost a lot of money, surely Your Highness need not pay so
years when the revenue was high we made good progress, but the swing-
much to the Bedouin.’ But this was an economy which he did not
bridge, spanning the deep channel, was not completed until 1942. As
approve for even now the reputation of Arab rulers in the Gulf depends
usual there was opposition to the scheme, mainly from the boatmen who
much on the amount of largesse which they distribute.
carried passengers across the one-and-a-half miles ot sea which separated
In some matters, which to me appeared important, the Shaikh g ave
the two islands. I once ventured to mention the project to Shaikh Isa,
me a free hand. It was only when I proposed measures which might be
who I hoped would approve of the idea, which would enable him to
unpopular among the Khalifah, or among one or other of the sects or
communities, that lie demurred) But often after further discussions he visit Bahrain island without the trouble of embarking in a launch. The
ex-Ruler’s only comment was, 'It is unnecessary—and impossible.’ How­
accepted my suggestions, with reservations. It was easy to forget that in
ever, the people who lived in Muharraq were very glad when the cause­
a regime like Bahrain the Shaikh himself had to bear the brunt for any
way was built, and without it there would have been difficulty in running
action taken by his Government—and whatever action was taken there
the airport which was on Muharraq island.
were always people who disapproved of it.
We installed a telephone system in Manama. The exchange was
The Shaikh was very accessible. Anybody could see him in his maglis
operated by two obliging young Arabs who listened-in to most of the
and express his feelings, very forcibly sometimes, or hand the Shaikh a
conversations. Sometimes this was convenient, for if one wanted to speak
written complaint. Often when I saw the Shaikh he would push some
to somebody they often knew where he was and would say: ‘He is dining
letters or petitions into the outside pocket of my coat, saying, ‘Take these,
with Mr So-and-So. I heard him being invited.’ The automatic telephone
• read them some other time and deal with them as you think best.’ I found
system which came later was far more efficient, but one missed the
that he developed an aptitude for saying to people who complained: ‘Yes.
personal touch!
But that of course is a matter which our Adviser is dealing with. You had
Every Tuesday and Saturday morning the Shaikh came to the office,
better go and see him about it.’ I too learnt to say: ‘Yes, of course, but I
and this custom was kept up by his son when he succeeded. He arrived
can do nothing; it is His Highness’s wish. I suggest that you should go
in a large car with his younger sons and several servants and his silugi,
and see him about it.’ But later on the Shaikh and I would discuss the
Hosha. He took my office chair and I sat at his side. Sometimes one or
matter and decide what line to take. There was no council which had to
both of his brothers would join us and we would discuss local affairs,
be consulted. The Shaikh was an absolute Ruler with power of life and
death over his own subjects, but he exercised a benevolent autocracy. He enlivened with gossip. People arc apt to speak contemptuously of bazaar
gossip’, but I found that what was said in the ‘suq’—market—usually con­
did, however, discuss many matters with his two brothers and his eldest
tained a great deal of truth, for in Bahrain it was almost impossible to
son.
keep anything secret. Then the Shaikh and I would get down to business.
In the beginning I found it difficult to give advice about people and
I put up papers for him to see and documents which required his seal.
matters which were imperfectly known to me, but within a year or two
On other days I went to see him at the Manama palace, which usually
I acquired a pretty good knowledge of the characteristics of most of the long wait until the visitors had gone. If some of them tried to
people with whom I had dealings. So often I have been asked whether I ; meant a
: outstay me the Shaikh would send for incense .and rose-water, which
found the work in Bahrain ‘interesting’. My reply lias always been, ‘If I 1 intimated that they should depart. It was a graceful way of dismissing a
had not found it interesting I could not have served there for thirtyr-one
guest. It is a pity that we have no such custom in the West, it would
years!’ It was interesting, absorbingly interesting, because the work which
avoid the difficulty which people often find of knowing when they should
I did was so varied and because it consisted of dealing with human beings,
take their leave. Often I visited him at Sakhrir, his country house, the
not inanimate objects.
place he liked best to live in. Here it was more difficult to engage
: (58
69