"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎٤‎٩] (٦١٦/١٠٢)

RESIDENCY FOK THE YEAR 1905-1906.
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which about 400 eases are believed to have occurred, with fatal results to fifty
per cent. The victim of greatest importance was Sharida-bia-Ali, the Chiefs
Confidential Clerk.
Other persons who lost relatives were Haji MuqMl-al-Dhakhair, the
richest Arab merchant, Yusuf Kanow, honorary munshi and assistant to the
Agency, and Abdul Aziz Ewazi, a rich Persian merchant.
A few cases also occurred at sea amongst the pearling fleet. The epide
mic subsided without the adoption of any remedial measures at the commence
ment of the hot weather.
Two European ladies, both wives of Doctors of the American Mission
Hgspital, died of typhoid fever in Manama—Mrs. Thoms on the 25th April
1905, and Mrs. Bennett on the 20th January 1906.
About a dozen sepoys of the 125ih (Napier's) Rifles belonging to the
Agency Guard at Manama have also shown signs at the commencement of
1906 of having contracted Beri-beri, though the cause is absolutely unknown.
Three sepoys unfortunately succumbed to the disease, but the others, with the
exception of two in Hospital at the close of the year, who it is hoped are
recovering, have returned to duty.
The Victoria Memorial Hospital, attached to the Asrency, was opened to
the public, though the buildings were not quite completed, on the arrival from
India of Assistant Surgeon Ghulam Ali Khan on the 13th July 1905. The
Hospital was again closed on the Assistant Surgeon's resigning his appoint
ment on the 21st December 1905 The appointment of another Medical
Officer has not yet been made.
The health of the Chief of Bahrain was good except for about two months
at the commencement of 1906, when he found considerable difficulty in shak
ing off the bad effects of a chill,
Folitical. —The political event of most importance in these islands was the Bahrain,
surrender of Sheikh Ali-bin-Ahmad to his uncle, the Chief, on the 18th July
1905 with 4 absconded followers. The five prisoners were transferred to His
Majesty's Ship Sphinx on the 31st July 1905, and in due course were sent
dowa to India via Bushire in the Royal Indian Marine Ship Lawrence.
Sheikh Ali was sentenced to five years' exile in Bombay under the supervision
of the Government of that Presidency, and the four negroes were confined in
the Central Jail, Hyderabad, Sind, for six months. They returned safely to
Bahrain on the 6th April 1906.
The relations between Sheikh Esa and the Political Agent have been
steadily though slowly improving throughout the year; the general situation
however is still somewhat unsatisfactory as the Chief is inclined to regard all
advice tendered to him as attempting to undermine his internal absolute
sovereignty.
Movements of the Chief and his family. —Sheikh Esa came over from
Muharrag to his summer quarters near Manama on the 2nd July and returned
to Muharrag on the 22nd Noveutber. Be spent about 30 days in camp^ at
various times in the centre and southern parts of the island, and resided during
the rest of the year at Muharrag.
Sheikhs Hamad and Muhammad bin Esa paid a lO-days* visit to Katar
(Lusail and Doha) in October 1905.
The former with his other brother Abdallah spent four days on the
Dthaharan mainland in December, and about three weeks in December and
January in the vicinity of Linga.
The Chief's Wazir and relative Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Wahab made
his fifth pilgrimage to the Haj in the spring of 1906.
A good deal of light has been thrown during the year upon the political Katar.
status ol this Peninsula, in the course of enquiries made in connection with the
Per4an Gulf Gazetteer. It will suffice, however, here to state that the
resignation by Sheikh Jasim bin Thani of the Kaim-makam-ship of Doha has
never ar parently been officially accepted by the Turkish Government, nor has
his abdication of the Chiefshipof the Bin Thani Principality been fully given
effect to, even if in times of sickness it has been seriously contemplated.