Page 93 - The Arabian Gulf States_Neat

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Relations with Bahrain

The British Government appears to have established its first official
contact with the Shaikhs of Al-Khalifah of Bahrain in 1816. In that
year Captain Bruce, the British Resident at Bushire, paid an official
visit to the Shaikhs of Al-Khalifah. This resulted in the conclusion of
a draft treaty of friendship, Treaty of 31 July 1816, with the Ruler of
the island, Shaikh rAbd Allah ibn Ahmad. But this treaty, which was
apparently concluded without the authority of the Indian Govern­
ment, did not come into force.1 However, four years later, Bahrain
became a party to the Treaty of Peace of 1820, concluded by the
British Government with the Shaikhs of Ras al-Khaimah. This
treaty was signed by an agent of the Shaikh of Bahrain on 5 February
1820. And in a supplementary agreement of the same date aimed at
implementing the provisions of this treaty the Shaikh of Bahrain
agreed not to allow in his country ‘the sale of any commodities’
obtained ‘by means of plunder and piracy’, nor to permit his people
to sell anything of any kind whatsoever’ to persons identified with
the practice of plunder and piracy (Art. I).2 In addition, in 1856 the
Ruler of Bahrain entered into another agreement with the same object.
In this, he bound himself to seize and deliver over to the British vessels
of war ‘whatsoever’ slaves were brought to his country. He further
undertook that if any slaves were carried in his vessels or in those of
any of his subjects, he would ‘place an embargo on the delinquent
boat’ and submit this boat to the decision of the British Resident.3
These agreements dealt exclusively with the ways and means of
suppressing piracy and slave traffic, in connection with which the
Government required the assistance and co-operation of the Shaikh
of Bahrain. The Shaikh was also treated in these agreements as an
independent ruler, while Britain appeared to be exercising merely a
‘beneficial’ supervision over matters generally concerning the peace of
the Gulf.
Later, however, the agreement of 1856 was followed by a ‘Friendly
Convention with Independent Ruler of Bahrain’ of 31 May 1861.4
This Convention restricted all the warlike activities of the Ruler of
11.O. Bombay Secret Proceedings, vol. 41, Secret Consultation, 28, 20-21 July
1819, p. 1413. Dispatch from the Resident at Bushire, Captain Bruce, to the
Bombay Government, 31 July 1816.
2 Aitchison, p. 233. During this time two Rulers conjointly ruled Bahrain. See
ibid., p. 191. 3 Ibid., p. 234.
4 Great Britain, British Foreign and State Papers, vol. 56 (1864-5), pp. 1402-3.
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