'File 19/165 IV (C 57) Bahrain Reforms' [106r] (242/476)
The record is made up of 1 file (219 folios). It was created in 12 Feb 1927-30 Apr 1930. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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Pag e.7
excellent wor]c> and has "tlie suutx confidence of tlie pu--blic«
They refer all cases involving personal law to the appropriate
Qadhis for their opinion and return ( hence records are icept )
hut dispose of most criminal cases themselves. A few criminal
cases which can "be settled "by oathtaking are also referred to
the Qadhis in the same way. It must be remembered however that
Shaikh Salman would not pass any order adversely affecting a
person of position if it were not for the support of Mr Belgrave,
and would certainly not give a capital sentence in any case with
out it. A whole hearted return to the Shara^ is impossible,
(a) because most of the crimes of violence would be b^r Sunnis
and against Shiahs, hence on the case being referred to the Sun-
ni ^adhi they would escape scot free or with light punishment,
(b) because the Qadhis keep no records, and ( c ) because here
as in Persia the ^adhis have lost almost all their prestige in
the last few years.
Civil cases particularly those involving the taking of acKJum
counts are usually referred to the Majlis el Urfi, an honorary
body of merchants who work quite satisfactorily if their personal
feelings are not aroused. Diving csjaes are referred to the Sali
fah or diving court, to which I allude later.
It will be seen that there is a very large measure of indi
genous contrxol, and I feel sure that the Government of India
/
could not favour a return to the chaos of the old regime where
no State court existed, and nothing to take its place except
the Shara^ ( a reversion to which would be as well advised as
to place Ely once more under its Bishop ) and the innumerable
courts maintained by petty Shaikhlings purely as a vehicle fot
their oppression.
14. A properly constituted Diving Court has been a very
succesful feature of the reforms, and it works with fair impar
tiality except where foreigners are involved. In a very big
case recently I had to depute the Khan Bahadur to watch the pro
ceedings so flagrant was the bias shown. As a result the court
ultimately decreed in favour of the Persian merchant for some
About this item
- Content
The file contains material regarding a number of topics including the status of Bahrain following the social and economic reforms that were implemented by the British during the preceding years, the geo-strategic rationale behind Britain's interest in maintaining its dominant position in the country, a detailed discussion of the historical development of Britain's relationship with Bahrain (and the history of Al Khalifa rule) and discussion concerning fears that a too dominant British role would provoke Arab fears and push them towards a closer relationship with Bin Saud.
A number of other topics are discussed in less detail including ideas for reforming the police force in Bahrain and an idea for the establishment of a civil court in the country.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (219 folios)
- Arrangement
File is arranged in chronological order, from earliest at beginning of the file to most recent at end.
- Physical characteristics
A bound correspondence file. The file is foliated with uncircled numbers in the top right-hand corner of each front-facing page.
Original numeration 1/123 then continued. Precedent foliations have been crossed out. Original numeration by folio started on first page of text top right hand number until folio 123, then by page 124/140. A third numeration by page starts towards the end of the volume.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/340
- Title
- 'File 19/165 IV (C 57) Bahrain Reforms'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iii-v, 1r:7v, 8ar:8dv, 10r:11v, 11ar:11bv, 12r:12v, 15r:64v, 64ar:64bv, 65r:68v, 70r:75v, 81r:89v, 91r:96v, 98r:100v, 100ar:100av, 101r:182v, 184r:219v, iv-r:vii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence