"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٨‎١‎٢] (١٧٨٢/٩٦٧)

812
Further ill-
treatment of
Indian tra
ders by
Shaikh Jasim
and piracief,
1883-86.
Wanton at
tack on Bri
tish Indian
traders at
Dohah and
action of the
British au
thorities,
1887.
having been taken to this replv^ the Turkish A mbassador vras further
told in unequivocal terms, on the 22nd of September 1883, that the
British Government were unable to accept the views of the Porte, and
that they were not prepared to waive the rights which they had
exercised at intervals, during a long period of years, of dealing directly
with the Arab chiefs of the Qatar coast, when necessary, in order to
preserve the peace of the seas or to obtain redress for outrages on
British subjects or persons entitled to British protection.
After the settlement in 1882 live of the Indian traders who had been
expelled returned to Dohah; but their position there was still disagree
able on account of the hostility of the Shaikh. In 1886, after taking
precautions to disavow his responsibility for anything that might happen
to the British traders in his absence. Shaikh Jasim temporarily quitted
Dohah for'Odaid; and immediately the Indians were attacked by Bani
Hajir Bedouins and two of their number were wounded, but not seriously.
The Assistant Resident, Khan Bahadur J Abdur Rahman Hakim,
who was sent to the spot to investigate, found reason to believe that the
affaii had been deliberately arranged by Shaikh Jasim with his son,
whom he left in charge at Dohah, and that the object was to intimidate
the Hindus into \\ ithdiawing from Dohah and so to put an end to their
rivalry in trade. Later, however, the Resident reported that Jasim had
emphatically denied his complicity in the matter and had apologised for
the occurrence; and under orders from the Government of India the
denial and apology were accepted.
In the autumn of 1886, several petty cases of piracy having been
committed by Bam Hajir oft' the coast of Qatar, the Residency
confidential Agent was sent in H.M.S. "Sphinx" to interview
the headmen of the coast, and was successful in obtaining from them
assurances of co-operation with the British Government, some of which
were given in writing.
In 1887, on the withdrawal of Shaikh Jasim from Dohah on account
of differences between himself and the Turks, there was an outbreak of
lawlessness in the town, most probably instigated by the Shaikh him R plf
h is place of reticent. At the beginning of the troubCthe
Indum traders were protected by the Shaikh's relatives in Dohah ■ but
early in August two Indian British subjects were wantonly attacked and
wounded by Arabs P lraci e s als0 began along ^ ^ half a ^
^ some of
—- tek e f orcib,e^^