Page 81 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British interests and influence, 1898-1904 71
5

nnd, morcovor, it'was imposiblo for mo to arrango for tlioir safe custody. I
told tho Sheikh, therefore, that, as ho had attached the arms, ho must romain
responsible for tho till tho question of tho justification of his action was
• * i .t ♦ tin AKoiM, the settled.* lam confident that tho Gov--
• Vide ooniesof my lottor to tno ohoikh, to the
Auent. nod the memorandum aentto Mr. Fracia, Ornment Will appro VO of my action,
dttaohed. which was, I beliovo, tho only course
open to me at tho time.
22. Though I had nothing to do with tho attachment of tho arms, thoro
Tb» British nutboritioi bad nothing to do with wore reasons against their release until
tlio attaohmont of tbo anna. tllO question of the Sheikh's justification
for bis action, and tho appeal of Mossrs. Tracis Times against it, had been fully
investigated, and, as I had gouc to Bahrein chiofly to ask the Sheikh to
agree to measures for stopping tho arms traffic, I could not, at tlie same time,
have pressed him to set freo a largo quantity which ho maintained ho had the
right to confiscate, until I recoivod tho orders of Government. Mr. Tracis has
referred to my not again landing, and to the delay thorc occurred in giving him
my memorandum. This was due to tho state of the weather, which prevented
my again visiting Bahrein. Tho weathor only moderated on tho evening
of tho 7th, when an agent from Mr. Tracis camo off, to whom tho paper was
given.
Mr. Tracis, though warned that delay in submitting his appeal against
tho attachment of liis arms would act prejudicially to his own interests, did not
address me till April last. His contention that his claim lies, not against the
Sboikh, but against tbo British Govornmont, eppeared inadmissable, and I
informed him in reply that this was my opinion, souding him, at tho same
time, copies of lottora I had received from tho Shoikh and Agha Mohamod
Kahim. His reply to this letter reached mo at Shiraz Into in September, and I
took up tho further inquiry neoeasnry immediately on my return to Bushire,
after the arrival of Agha Mohamed Rahim and his nephew, who wore sum­
moned from Bahrein.
23. I found on my roturn that Mr. Tracis bad written f to my Tirst
Assistant asking for information regard­
t Copy of letter and reply atlaohod.
ing tho case between himself and Agha
Mohamed Rahim, and also about tho complaints mado by the Banians at
Bahrein. Mohamed Rahim gave mo to understand in April last that ho was
about to briug a suit against tho firm, aud I was under the impression, when I
wrote my report from Shiraz in July,$ that this had boon dono. Molmmed Rahim
has informed me, however, that what ho
% No. 42-S.A., dated 31«t July 1808.
meant was that ho wished tbo settlement
of tho accounts betwcon him and the Tirm, for salo of arms at Bahrein, as well
as other transactions hero nnd at Busrcb, submitted to an Ijlas, or Commer­
cial Court, under tho supervision of tho Itesidcnov. Thore is a civil suit
hetweon the parties goiug on the Turkish Courts at Busreh, and it is probable
that tho agont was referring to it when ho spoke to mo in April. The
complaints of the Syndicate, of Banians at Bahrein wore against Agha
Mohamed Rahim, and not diroctly against Fraois Times. They stated that
the Agont was bringing in goods belonging to Ur. Fraois at the privileged rate
allowed to himsoif, and that thoy wero suffering loss in oousequonco.
2d, I would, in conclusion, offer tho following observations for the inform­
Goooral obiorratiooi. ation of Government, aud to assist in tho
QK ... . , c disposal of tho arms attaohed by tho
Sheikh and of tho olaim for compensation advanced by Mossrs. Traois Times
n j Vii0W8 °/-rta°-{reTUlA0? a oon8’deration of tho evidence, now before me.
4 SS Sttf ‘SSHtS Si.T1”1 wl"