"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٨‎٦‎٥] (١٧٨٢/١٠٢٠)

865
probability of its being attempted by the Egyptians. The naval advantage
of the 'Utub over the Egyptians could only be destroyed by the arrival
on the scene of ships from Egypt or from Masqat ; and in regard to the
latter it was not to be expected that the representatives of the Saiyid of
'Oman, after they had been made acquainted with the policy of the
British Government, would agree to co-operate with the Egyptians,
On the 28th of July 1839 the Resident arrived off Bahrain in the H.
E. I. Company's steamer " Hugh Lindsay " to interview Shaikh 'Abdullah,
who had suddenly and unexpectedly acknowledged the supremacy of the
Egyptians and covenanted to pay them $£,000 a year as tribute, on
condition that his local authority should be preserved intact and that no
representative of Khurshid Pasha should be sent to reside in Bahrain.
In conversation with Captain Hennell the Shaikh endeavoured to
explain away his disregard of his promise to Captain Edmunds by assert"
ing that the agreement with the Egyptians, though but recently ratified
had actually been concluded before the arrival of the < TV ellesley ; but
he justified his action mainly on the ground of the Resident's refusal
more than three months before to give him advice or a specific assurance
of support, and of the virtual immunity from disturbance which he had
purchased by a trifling and merely pecuniary sacrifice,
A written protest against the new arrangements, couched in nearly the
same terms as another which he addressed to Khurshid Pasha, was deliver
ed to the Shaikh by Captain Hennell, who further commented on the
possibility of the Bahrain Government becoming involved, in consequence
of the relations that they had formed with the Egyptians, in hostilities
with Great Britain. The Shaikh, in reply, protested that he would never,
even at the demand of the Egyptians, place himself in opposition to the
British Government; and he offered, on condition that a distinct pledge
of protection should be given him in writing, to repudiate his agreement
with the Pasha and to avow himself a dependent of the British Govern
ment i on being pressed, however, to commit this proposal to writing,
he declined ; and he added that his repudiation of the agreement, if carried
into effect, must in any case be explained by him to the Egyptians as
due to compulsion by the British authorities. In conclusion he assured
Captain Hennell of the unpopularity of the Egyptians, and of the
extremelv precarious nature of their position in Eastern and Central
Arabia.
The general impression brought away by the Resident from this
interview was that Shaikh 'Abdullah, now advanced in years and incap
able of exertion, had submitted to the Egyptians in order to avoid a
64
Sndden gub-
misBion of
the Shaikh of
Bahrain to
the Egyptians
and protest by
the British
Resident,
July 1839,
i
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