"ملف 19/218 (C 84) خلافة البحرين" [و‎‎٥‎٧] (٢١٠/١١٥)

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to #rite out his own nomination and lodge it himself in the
bank, ^ as you indicate the Shaikh would probably want the docu
ment witnessed. You should certainly not witness it, and it
would be undesirable, I think, for 3elgrave to do so, while if
any Arab witnesses It,the nomination will certainly not remain
a secret. Is it absolutely necessary for it to be witnessed ?)
This course would be distinctly preferable to your having any
hand in the matter. if you do, even under the precautions
suggested in your paragraph 4 it will certainly get about in
Bahrain with embroidery from the family that you, on behalf
of His lajesty^ Oovernment and myself, rigged the succession.
This would have an extremely bad effect locally and, whoever
the successor vas, would certainly tend to make him unpopular
with some, at all events, of the local elements.
5. if the coarse suggested above were followed I do not
suppose that the Shaikh would care to divulge to his family the
fact of its having been carried out, since he would probably
be badgered by his relations, including his wife, to reveal
his selection. If he felt like this he could postpone revealing
to his family until on his death-bed the fact of the selection
having been made, tne name of the heir, and the fact that the
document was deposited in the bank.
6. it would be important for the Political Agent to know
^hom the Shaijch had selected and I suggest that in the course of
some interview the latter could merely inform you privately and
ve. bally of the name of his selection. I think we can trust
Hamad to tell the truth.
o/c 4