Page 17 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

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V] The Treaty of 1853 included a stipulation that the peace
should be watched over and enforced by the British Government;
€ and the shift of responsibility of the Resident in Bushire from
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commercial interests in Persia to political affairs in the Gulf and in
the Arab States was reflected in the change in title to Political
L Resident in 1862. He received his orders from the Bombay
Government until 1873, and thereafter from the Government of
India; and was represented by Political Officers on the Trucial
$ Coast and in Muscat.
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Having acquired, somewhat fortuitously, a political
dominance in the Gulf, Britain became anxious to retain it in order
to safeguard communications with India. During the last decade
Hi of the 19th century — although nobody then knew of the oil that
lay there - the Treaties with Bahrain, Kuwait and the Trucial
States (the ‘Exclusive Agreements’) obliged the Rulers not to sell,
_! lease or cede land without the approval of the British Government;
SC,
nor were they to have any direct relations with other Powers.
Great Britain, through the Government of India, thus
became responsible for the foreign relations of these States and
also for their protection against aggression. No formal protectorate
was ever declared over the several Gulf States, but they were regarded
as being, virtually, British Protectorates. Political Agents were
appointed in Bahrain in 1902 and in Kuwait in 1904.

The term ‘Political Agent’ can be misleading to those not
familiar with the work of the Indian Political and Civil Services.
In British India before 1947 the local representative of the Govern­
ment was known as a District Officer, and this was an I.C.S.
appointment: in Tribal Areas on the North West Frontier and in
the Gulf States the equivalent of the District Officer was appointed
from the I.P.S. and was known as Political Agent (or Officer). In
the Gulf States the Political Agent was generally responsible for
maintaining close contact with the Ruler, and his other duties were
much akin to those of a Consul-General; but the actual consular
work was normally dealt with by his assistant.

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