'File 9/9 Bahrain Reforms. Bahrain Water Supply' [‎29r] (75/261)

2,
.low th# imhabitiiats to purchast a ptrc«}itagt of th« shar
)stacl« to this was Shaik JCsa^who was knowm to "bt agaiast
LMOvatiom.lt was propostd to wia his comsent by offtrimg
yalty om the water,which was to be soldo
I* this autum* of 1922 Major Holmes was fr@
hrai]i # i* co*aectiom with the oil comcessioM he was aegot:
HassaoSome of the members of the Municipality,principal
img the secretary Kha* Bahadur Muliaiumad Sharif, asked me
m as to th® possibility of a water scheme o» the liaes ii
tempts to get other firms to put forward proposals haviag
iledo I consulted the Political R®side*t om the matter,wi
the geaeral liM ©SeIa this coamectioM I would mow quote f
tter No 20/C dated 28/1/23 to the Political ResideMt.
may be Moted here that th© megotiatioMs described therei
nee some sevea moaths before the questioM of the BahraiM
ssiom arose-the first mews of which was heard isi Jum@ I9<
Extracts from letter No 20/C dated 28/1/25 from the
•Mt BalnraiM to the HoM f bl® the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ,Bushii:
I send herewith for your iMformatioM a traMsalatioM ol t
miMutes of a Municipal MeetiMg receMtly held ,tais ;eM from
minute book which is maiMtaiMea iM the Municipal office,
XXX X X X X X X X
Items II & III, (Water scheme & electric power)
Sver sinces I hav@ been h«re the Municipal Council have pr
bo help to make arrangements to get some reliable company
&d in this matterhave endeavoured to do so with indiff
success o Several companies have discussed the matter but
Inclined to really take it up,& either have not the exper
iisinclined to send them to Bahrain to go into the questi
vater supply. Recently I took advantage of the visit of M
who as you know,has concluded business arrangements with
Df Najd^to take his opinionoHe is fairly certain that wat
be got by sinking artesian wells almost anyvhere on the i
It would be necessary to make tests first 0 1 asked if any
panies he represents would be willing to make the tests a -
Dwn expense with a view t if sucessful^ to starting a compait;
supply of electric power <Sc drinking water for Manameh.Afti
leal of persuasion he agreed to put the matter lavourably
the trust syndicate which he represents & thought that he
probably induce them to send out an extra engineer,if the;
joing on with their schemes on the mainland.This appears ]
the case,& it would seem an unique opportunity to get the
seriously gone into with prospects of good results, i
I put the matter before the Municipal meeting
)f which were unanimously in favour of Mr Holmes being as3
indeavour to get the scheme taken up, 1 pointed out,how@v<
should be disinclined to ask him to suggest to any compan;
should send an expert & go to the expense ol experimentini
■re could assure him that if ajftecian wells be found to be
2,
Llow tht iithabitaats to purchas# a p«rc«*tag« of th« shares, Th«
ostaclt to this was Shaik JDsa # who was kmow* to b® agaiast a*y such
i*ovatiom.It was proposed to wiM his comsemt by offering him a
)yalty o* the water,which was to be sold,
I* the autum* of 1922 Major Holmes was frequently im
ihraiMji* co*aectio* with the oil comcessioM he was megotiatiag for
i Hassa^Some of the members of the Municipality,priacipal among them
ling the secretary Khan Bahadur Muhammad Sharif, asked me to consult
.m as to th® possibility of a water scheme on the lines indicated,
itempts to get other firms to put forward proposals having sa far
died, I consulted the Political Kesident on the matter,who approved
' the general lines e In this coanection I would now quote from my
itter Ho 20/C dated 28/1/23 to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. .
- may be noted here that the negotiations described therein took
.ace some seveM months before the question of th® Bahrain Oil con-
(ssion arose-th® first news of which was heard is Jun® 1923 0
Extracts from letter No 20/C dated 28 /i /25 from the Political
:ent Bahrain to the Kon'bl® the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. jBushirec
1 I send herewith for your information a trans^lation of the
minutes of a Municipal Meeting recently held,taken from th®
minute book which is maintained in the Municipal offic®.
XXX XXXXXXXX
Items II & III. (Water scheme & electric power)
Ever sinc^i I have besn h«re the Municipal Council have pressed me
to help to make arrangements to get some reliable company interest
ed in this matterol have endeavoured to do so with indifferent
success. Several companies have discussed the matter but seem dis
inclined to really take it up,& either have not the experts or are
disinclined to send them to Bahrain to go into the question of
water supply» Recently I took advantage of the visit of Major Holmes
who as you know,has concluded business arrangements with the Sultan
of Najd^to take his opinion.He is fairly certain that water could
be got by sinking artesian wells almost anywhere on the island,but
it would be necessary to make tests first.I asked if any of thfc com
panies h® represents would be willing to make the tests at their
own expense with a view t if sucessful # to starting a company for
supply of electric power & drinking water for Manameh.After a good
deal of persuasion he agreed to put the matter ravourably before
the trust syndicate which he represents & thought that he could
probably induce them to send out an extra engineer,if they were
going on with th«ir schemes on the mainland.This appears now to oe
the case,<&: it would seem an unique opportunity to get the matter
seriously gone into with prospects of good results, i
I put the matt®r before the Municipal meeting the members
of which were unanimously in favour of Mr Holmes being asked to
endeavour to get the scheme taken up. 1 pointed out,however,that 1
should be disinclined to ask him to suggest to any company that they
should send an expert & go to the expense of experimenting unless
we could assure him that if aj?teijian wells be found to be practicabi