'دليل الخليج، الجزء الأول، مواد سياسية وتاريخية، ملخص شؤون البحرين، ١٨٥٤-١٩٠٤' [‎٨‎٠] (٢٠٤/٩٩)

8o
CHAPTER XXX.
Claim of Ahmed-bin-Ali (brother) of Chief of Bahrein against Ahmed-
bin-Mahdi, 1886—1889.
288. The facts of this case are briefly:—
Ahmed-bin-Ali bought 10,000 killas of dates from Ahmed-bin-Mahdi at
3^ krans per killa, equivalent to a total
No 96, External A. t May 1888, Nos.93 -111. va l ue of Rs. io,ooo, and delivery was
promised at this rate, when the time for the delivery arrived. When dates
became ripe, price of dates had advanced and were at 6^ krans per killa.
Ahmed-bin-Mahdi on this delivered over only 4,717 killas of dates, instead of
10,000. Ahmed-bin-Ali now claimed 5,283 killas of dates at 6J krans per killa.
289. The claim was forwarded to the Resident in May 1886, through the
Residency Agent at Bahrein, who pointed out that reports stated Ahmed-bin-
Mahdi to be well able to pay the claim, but being in with Turkish officials at
Katif he was able to resist the demand. This complaint was forwarded by
Colonel Miles to Colonel Tweedie in May 1886, and no reply having been
received, a reminder was sent in September 1886. Colonel Tweedie replied in
October to the effect that he had addressed to the Assistant Political Agent
at Basrah, enlisting his good offices in the case.
290. In November Surgeon-Major Bowman, in charge of Baghdad Residency,
wrote that he quite concurred with Mr. Robertson in thinking that Sheikh
Ahmed-bin-Ali should prefer his claim l^efore a judicial coult, Turkish, and
requested that Sheikh Ahmed should be informed in that sense.
291. Being unable to concur in this view which assumed the existence or
courts which, if existent, were not available to the Bahrein Sheikh, Colonel Ross
explained the difficulty, and further action was taKen, first informally, by the
Assistant Political Agent at Basrah with the concurrence of Colonel Tweedie.
Promises were obtained from the Vali of Basrah and other local officials there r
but nothing came of them.
2Q2. Eventually Mr. Robertson, in June 1887, addressed the Vali of Basrah
officially on the subject, and has since continued to press for a settlement.
293. At the suggestion of Colonel Ross the Chief of Bahrein deputed an
* . qqo vt Agent on behalf of his brother to Mutas-
External a., August 1888, Nos. S-7. & . r f TT . .
sanr ot hlasa to represent the case but
the representation received no consideration.
294. The difficulties in arriving at an easy settlement were there. On one
side the Chief of Bahrein could not make reprisals against Ahmed-bin-Mahdi,
of Katif, by attacking him across the sea. The Chief proposed to attack his
property in Bahrein, but from his step he was dissuaded, since it might embroil
him more with the Porte. On the other hand the Turkish Government refused
to recognize our right of protecting the Chief.
295. Soon after both Ahmed-bin-Ali and Ahmed-bin-Mahdi died, and their
a „ No. january ,88,,. No S . 2 7 .,s. representatives arrived at a sttlement of
External a ., March 1889, Nos. 229-230. the dispute through the influence of the
news agent at Bahrein (Haji Ahmed-bin-
Abdul Rassul), in January 1889.