'Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol I. Historical. Part IA & IB. J G Lorimer. 1915' [‎929] (1084/1782)

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^ oi fti^^nces ot tlie Shaikh of Bahrain failed to bonefit in a corres
flag of | ponding degree; the enhanced profits went chiefly to the customs
^ to ^ contractors • and the Shaikh resorted to irregular taxation to supplement
Uct ^ieli ^ f. ^ ,s insufficiett revenues. In 1899 the Government of India thought
ll '' s admin,that a reform tf the Bahrain customs was desirable in order to render
1 wmplained t, nj them more productive, and they were prepared to lend the Shaikh
^tesatidic, , an officer for t}l0 P"T ose of carrying out the necessary improvements;
the same ua:' but tlieir sil ^^ esti()ls were obstinately resisted by the Shaikh. The
Staild, 'I sa , ru ^ er ^ a ^ lra]n was attached to the contract system, chiefly because
1st 'Ali of'inw ^ enab ^ e ^ ,lim to obtain ready money by selling the customs for
years in advance, and because it was not incompatible with discri
mination of persons in collecting the duties; but the true explanation
of the pertinacity with which he rejected, and continued to reject,
the suggested reforms was that he regarded acceptance of British
a ^ v ^ cej an< ^ ^he services of a British official as compromising to his
dignity and independence. On the 7th of October 1899, in violation
wperty of wife of a promise not to extend the current customs contract without reference
'g- 'Aliremaiiii to the British Resident, Shaikh 'Isa, being in need of money and anxious
to Masqat, wlfflk to postpone the question of reform, granted a fresh lease for two
mele and tie it: y ear s from the 10th of March 1902, the date to which the customs were
the Prencli Cot already farmed. At the same time he enhanced the general rate of duty
ien proposed hj: from 4 to 5 per cent, without giving previous notice to the British au-
nded by Major k thorities of his intention to do so ; and to this step, though discourteous,
JBritisli Govemn: uo technical objection could be taken.
y upon his obr.. At the beginning of 1900 a European officer, as explained in a later 1900.
^ a public Mr u paragraph, was posted to Bahrain; but the Shaikh could not be pre-
;iiaage intterep vailed on to cancel the new customs contract which he had granted. He
dedtopostpooetfe icjected the offer of a loan which would have enabled him to pay off
it. to the contractors, and he declined the good offices of the
British Government when they were tendered for the purpose of persuad
ed of »}.!. i ng the contractors, who were British subjects, to forego their legal rights.
:lie Hajj and 11- , „ ,
Consul-General. Towards the end of 1901, the appointment of a British Director of 190L
Bahrain Customs having been recommended by Sir N. O^Conor, Am-
tituted in Bat® bassador at Constantinople, as a measure which would appear
he ruler uDtil bl to the Turks a material proof of British authority in Bahrain, a
ctionofdntjto? customs official and a sum of money sufficient to enable him to
ly a gjndicatt discharge his liabilities to the farmers was again pressed upon the Shaikh's
re of method acceptance; but the Shaikh, though his financial position was deteri-
Britisb foterti orating, declined the offer; and, while he outwardly professed an
calculated tia:' intention of taking the customs once more under direct management, he
0 per wilt, ^ 63