'ملف رقم 19/12 البحرين، ملخص شؤون الزبارة لعام ١٨٩٥' [ظ‎‎٥‎٢] (٢٣٠/١١٠)

6
No. 44, dated Busbire, the nth May 1S95.
From —colonel F. A. Wilson, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
In continuation of correspondence ending with my telegram of the 8th in
stant, I have the honour to report in fuller detail for the inlormation of the Gov
ernment of India—•
2. In a letter by the last mail the Residency Agent at Bahrein reports,
under date the 7th instant, that he had learned from people arriving from Zoba-
rah that the Mutasarrif of El-Hasa on reaching Zobarah summoned Sheikh Jasim,
who, sending on some masons and soldiers in advance, himself arrived on the
5th, and that they together set up a flag-staff for the Turkish flag. The report
does not specifically state whether the flag had up to the date of the informa
tion been actually hoisted. It was further stated that musjids and houses were
building. It is added by the Residency Agent that some regarded the arrival
of the Mutasarrif as being with the express purpose of visiting Zobarah, the origin
ally expressed intention of going on to Busrah being only for the purpose of
concealing the real object.
3. It would appear that some years ago, when the question of the Turkish
occupation of Zobarah was dealt with, doubts prevailed at the India Office as to
the validity of the Bahrein claim to Zobarah, as against Turkish pretension— vide
correspondence forw r arded under your endorsement No. 2362-E of the 4th Novem
ber 1890. For this I am quite unable to account, as I am unaware of the grounds
on which such pretensions on the part of Turkey were based. And the narrative
at pages 362 et seg. of the Selections from the Records of the Bombay Govern
ment, No. XXIV of 1856, would seem to show that the present holders of Bah
rein originally settled at Zobarah in 1 766, and thence effected the conquest of
Bahrein some 15 years later.
No. 46, dated Bushire, the 18th May 1895.
From —colonel F. A. Wilson, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
In continuation of my letter No. 44, of the 1 ith instant, I have the honour
to communicate, for the information of Government, the purport of further re
ports received from the Residency Agent at Bahrein, by the mail yesterday.
2. The Mutasarrif of El-Hasa after a stay of more than a week at Zobarah,
and having given, it is said, assurances of support and full protection to Sheikh
Jasim-bin-Thani and Sultan-bin-Salamah, and having promised to send a Mudir
or Governor with some soldiers to Zobarah, himself left for Ojair and El-Hasa.
The Mudir and soldiers sent from the former place are reported as having arriv
ed at Zobarah about the 13th instant, and building operations as being in
progress. The Mutasarrif again took the main island of Bahrein en route to
Katif, halting for a night at Agarria and leaving for Katif on the 15th instant.
Sheikh Jasim had helped Sheikh Sultan to equip his boats, which were starting
for the pearling about the 12th instant.
3. Nasir-bin-Mubarik, a relative of Sheikh Esa of Bahrein, is also expected
on the scene, being reported as encamped with a Beni-Hajir following between
El-Hasa and Ojair. This man's restlessness and intrigues have constantly been /
a source of apprehension to Sheikh Esa. The last menace to the safety of
Bahrein from this quarter was in October 1894 as noted in the Political diary
of this office for the week ending 3rd November 1894, Part VI, item 7, and
a previous one was reported in my predecessor's letter No. lie. dated iSth
August 1892.