'Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for the Years 1915-1919' [‎185r] (376/396)

FOS THE TEAR 1919.
61
CHAPTER X.
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE BAHRAIN POLITICAL AGENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
FOR THE YEAR 1919.
I.— Personnel. —Charge of the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. was hold by the following
Officers for the period shown : —
Captain N. N. E. Bray, M.C., from January 1st to June 5th. Indian
Assistant Syed Siddiq Hasan, from 6th June to 6th November. Major
H. R P. Dickson, C.I E. s present incumbent from November 6th to date.
Captain Bray proceeded on special mission to England on 6th June 1919,
at the termination of which he appeared before a medical board in England
which granted him 6 months sick leave.
II.— Shaikit Isa and al Khalifah Vamily. — («) Relation with Shaikh lea
have continued fairly satisfactory, with the exception of the question of Majlis-
al-Urfi which ceased workinsr from 15th April 1919. On that date Ahmad
Yatim, one of the oldest Arab members of the M ajlis-al-Urfi, was removed by
Shaikh Isa, at the instance of another Arab who had personal animosity
against him, without consulting the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. . It was a test case and
an endeavour on the part of Shaikh Isa to assert his authority ®
question of removal and nomination of members of the Majhs-al-Ur . o ^ w
Isa had been led to believe, by certain interested persons, that he had the right
to .dismiss any member of the Majlis-al-Urfi at pleasure, under t e eims o e
Order-in-Council which came into force from February 3rd, 1919. Representa
tions were at once made to Shaikh Isa, who deputed his son Shaikh Abdu a i
to interview the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. regarding the Majlis and his supposed right
over it. Shaikh Abdullah was given thoroughly to understand that the
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. could not countenance any changes m the functions an
composition of the Majlis-al-Urfi without being consulted, this being m accord
ance with existing ruling. Shaikh Isa insisted that it was his ng o s
the weekly notice calling the Majlis to meet and not the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. s, and
that the composition would be the same as agreed on between the Pohtical
Agent and himself with the exception of Ahmad Yatim, who had resigned a
no g t been dismissed as reported- In point of fact, Ahmad Yatim had been
dismissed by Shaikh Isa but had received further instructions to give out that
he hTd resLned of his own free will. Ahmad Yatim confessed this to the
Political A cent Whilst this vexed question was still being discussed Captain
Bray rec^ived orders to proceed ^England with Shaikh Abdullah's mission,
and no further progress was made in the mattei. ? m u t
ih\ Before leaving Bahrain and unknown the Captain Bray, Shaikh isa
instructed his son Shaikh Abdullah to approach : - 1
with four petitions for favourable consideration. y
m That the Chief of Bahrain should be placed on an equal line with
other neighbouring Arab Rulers and to exercise full junsdic i n
over all subjects in his territory. , __ _ ij u
(2) That the selection of the members of the Majlis-a - i s on e
one of the rights of the Chief of Bahrain.
(3) That the port of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. on the Qatar peninsula, as it once belonged
to his forefathers, should be made over to him. _ ,
(4) The privilege of a direct reference to higher authority should be
given to the Chief of Bahiain,
(c) One of Major Dichson's first acts on ^ r ^ o al ;^® r a Jp^sentatfons
take up the question of Majlis-al-Urfl. 1 8ha i k h Isa
were made to Shaikh Isa with a Tle ^ „ d ute( i j^is S on Shaikh Abdullah to
after much "beating th 0' jush , (0 , ep a and full discussion took
interview the I'olitical Agent on the matter. A trank ana mil