Page 43 - The Persian Gulf Historical Summaries (1907-1953) Vol IV_Neat

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protectorate Powers, more especially in the recent
cases of attacks on Persian and German subjects
in Bahrein............
“If His Majesty’s Government consider it
feasible in tlic circumstances to assume juris­
diction over foreigners in Bahrein, we would
recommend that this should he done, and also
that the Order in Council should, if possible, ho
so framed as to enable the Political Agent to
perform the functions of a notary public.”

Summary.
The political position at Bahrein may he
summarized as follows :—
His Majesty’s Government have repudiated
the Persian claim to sovereignty uino times—in
1822, 1825, 1841,1848,1801, 1862, 1SG9, 1900,
and 1907, and the Turkish claim nineteen times
—in 1839, 1851, 1870, 1874 (twice), 1875,
1870, 1879, 18S8, 1892 (twice), 1893 (three
times), 1895 (twice), 1890, and 1905 (twice);
while in 1871 the Grand Vizier of Turkey gave a
formal assurance “ that the Porte entertained no
intention whatever of obtaining the supremacy
over Bahrein.”
On the other hand, His Majesty’s Government
have themselves had direct relations with Bahrein
since 1805; these relations have hccomo increas­
ingly intimate in character, and have iound
concrete expression in a series of Treaties
concluded in 1820, 1847, 1856, 1801, 1808, 1880,
and 1892, and having as their objects the
suppression of piracy and the slave trade, the
regularity of the succession to the throne, the
protection of the island against foreign control or
aggression, and the assertion of British predomin­
ance. His Majesty’s Government have repeatedly,
and with increasing authority, intervened in the
internal alfairs of the island, notably in 1845, in
1859 when the rival Sheikh was incarcerated iu
an Indian fortress, in 1801, in 1809 when a naval
demonstration took place, in 1893 to recognize
the ruling Sheikh's son as successor-designate
to the Chiefship, and again in 1904-5 forcibly
to effect the punishment of offenders who
had assailed German and Persian subjects,
aud to romovo certain abuses affecting public
security and the welfare of foreigners. Moreover,
in virtue of the Treaty of 1801, the British Agent
has exercised important judicial powers in tho
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