'File 19/118 (C 7) Bahrain' [‎57v] (127/215)

1901, at the instance of Sir Nicolas O'Conor, it was again suggested that lie
should employ a British subject to supervise his Customs, he once more declined
to accede to the wishes of His Majesty's Government. In November of the
same year, the Sheikh appeared to become more amenable, and declared his
intention of assuming the direct management of his Customs on the expiry
of the lease then current. Within a fortnight, however, he had renewed the
contract for a further period of two years. No further action was taken until,
during his recent tour in the Persian bulf. His Excellency the Viceroy spoke
seriously about the matter to the Chief, and pointed out to him the necessity
of a change in the existing arrangements. The Sheikh asked tor time to
consider the matter with his brother and sons; and the Resident was accord
ingly instructed to report further after renewed consultation with the Sheikh.
In his letter of the 18th February 1904, of which we enclose a copy. Colonel
Kemball has recounted the failure of his further endeavours with Sheikh Isa,
who steadily declines to revise the arrangements under which his revenues are
at present collected.
3. The need for reform is clearly indicated by the figures given in
Colonel Kemball's letter. The Chief's present income from his Customs is
Es. 1,16,200, while the revenue which may be expected under an efficient
system is estimated at Rs. 3,50,000. The practicability of the change is
proved by the example of Maskat where, in partial compliance with our wishes,
the Sultan has taken the Customs administration'under direct management,
and has already reaped considerable benefit from the arrangement. The matter
is obviously one to which we cannot remain indilferent. Committed, as we are,
to the support of Sheikh Hamed, it is incumbent on us to take measures
to ensure that, on his accession, he may find his house in order, and may not
be burdened with a heavy legacy of debt accumulated by the improvidence
of his predecessor. For this reason we consider that the question is not one
which can be allowed to drop, even if it were possible to overlook the Sheikh's
repeated breaches of faith and his persistently contumacious attitude with
regard to it. In fact, the reform of the Customs administration of Bahrein
has become a test case of the nature and degree of the influence which the
British Government may reasonably claim to exercise over the ruler of those
islands.
4. To coerce the Sheikh would be a simple matter. He possesses no
troops or ships, and the towns of Manama and Muharrak, where the Sheikh
himself resides, are completely open to attack from the sea. But the adop-
tion of forcible measures would be liable to arouse unnecessary suspicion
and alarm as to our intentions in the Gulf; and we prefer, therefore, to effect
our object by means which, if slower, may, we trust, be not less effective.
During the Viceroy's recent visit to the island. His Excellency was impressed
with the fact that our Assistant 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. at Manama does not carry
that weight with the Sheikh which should be expected in the representative of
the British Government. That Mr. Gaskin was not entirely suited for the post
has been recognised from the outset; we think that Lord George Hamilton
was right when he expressed the opinion in 1901 that the appointment
was one which should be held by an officer of superior status; and we propose,
with the approval of His Majesty's Government, to select an officer of the
graded list of our Political Department to take the place of Mr. Gaskin, for
whom we hope to be able to provide elsewhere. To emphasise the change
we would send a small guard of native infantry as a permanent escort to
our new Agent. It has been recognised as desirable that a gun-boat should
visit the island frequently during the pearling season to check the piracies
which then occur. During the present year it can probably be arranged that
the gun-boat shall make a more prolonged stay at Bahrein. It will also be
necessary to provide the Assistant 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. with a boat of some descrip
tion, so that he can at intervals visit Katif and the outlying portions of his
charge, and this boat could, perhaps, be utilised for the suppression of piratical
outrages in the shallower waters which a British gun-boat cannot reach. In
this way we think that the difficult question which has been raised, of allowing
the Sheikh to arm and equip a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. for this purpose, might be satisfactorily
met, while an additional proof of our title to police the pearl banks would be
secured.