'File 8/11 Proscribed newspapers and seditious press articles' [‎103r] (205/260)

Translation of article by Fathullah •Abdul Masih
an -Taki , Proprietor of Al- 1 Amaran News-paper > jagypt| which
appeared in Al-IHRAM News-paper dated Cairo 3lst Auguit 193(
In the issue of Al-Ihram(news-paper) of yesterday
under the heading o^Foreign Policy 1 * you published about
the dispute between iingland and Persia regarding the reign
of Great Britain over Bahrain. You mentioned about the
Concession which the British Oil Company got from the
Shaikh of Bahrain for sinking oil wells in(BahrainJ the
Islands.
One who does not know Bahrain will truly bej&Lve
that Shaikh Hamad bin f Isa, Shaikh of Bahrain, is the
person who grants the concession and does things which suiti
suits him. The fact is that the Shaikh of Bahrain cannot
do anything, not even can visit his father, without asking
the advice of the British. The rule in Bahrain is in the
hands of the British. The British Adviser is the person
who rules Bahrain and levy taxes. He collects the revenues
and the Customs duty of the Country. He orders and he
executes, but the Shaikh puts his honoured signature on
all papers which the British Adviser submits to him f with
out giving any opinion of his own. In return for thisfcsig-
nature) the Shaikh gets from the British(Sastern)Bank in
Bahrain, on the first of each month, the allowance which
was fixed for him by the British Government namely R
Rs.10,000/- or B£.700/-.
The Shaikh of Bahrain is therefore the ruler in
name wheras all the power is in the hand of the British
Adviser who was appointed by the Colonial Office,London.
The Shaikh visits the Government Office* 4 for half an hour
every fortnight. From this it will appear that the Con
cession which the British Oil Company obtained in Bahrain
was granted by the British and not by the Shaikh, and the
Adviser is the person who entered into agreement with the
Company. The Shaikh had signed the deed of Agrwment without
knowing what was written and may ^aave /noT even read the
terms of the concession.
This is the fact which I saw with my own eyes
and doubtless one who saw with his own eyes can# better
'^11 than the one who only heard.