"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الجزء II. ج. ج. لوريمر. ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٦‎٤‎٤] (١٢٦٢/١١٦١)

2644
Public visit
of tbe Shaikh
to the
Viceroy.
I u formal
visit of the
Viceroy to
Manamah.
Address by
Hindu
traders.
" Hardinge", accompanied by the a Pomone^ "Sphinx" and "Law
rence 33 only, had worked her way up to the inner anchorage. Meanwhile a
salute of 31 guns was fired on shore; and_, soon after the " Hardinge" had
dropped anchor, Shaikh Hamad, the heir apparent to the Bahrain Shaikh-
ship, and the Wazir of the Shaikh of Bahrain came on board to enquire
after the Viceroys health and to ask when His Excellency would be
pleased to receive the Shaikh.
At 1-80 p. m. Shaikh 'Isa himself, accompanied by Mr. Gaskin,
Assistant Political Agent in Bahrain, and attended by three sons, his
eldest grandson and his Wazir, arrived on board the " Hard-
inge." Guards were paraded in his honour on board H.M.S.
Pomone. 33 The Viceroy received the Shaikh standing, and showed him
to a seat at his right hand; on the right of the Shaikh were seated the
Political Resident, the Assistant Political Agent in Bahrain and the
Shaikh's attendants ; on the left of the Viceroy were the British Minister
at Tehran, the Foreign Secretary and the Viceregal staff. Undress
uniform was worn upon this occasion. A short conversation ensued in
which the Shaikh referred to the prosperity of his State, attributing it to
the British protectorate, thanked the Viceroy for taking so long a journey
to show his interest in Bahrain, and expressed his gratitude for the formal
recognition of his son Hamad as his successor, as well as his appreciation
of the character of Sir L. Pelly, who had played an important part in the
affairs of Bahrain nearly forty years before. After the conversation the
Shaikh^s sons and officials were presented to the Viceroy and, with the
Shaikh, received valuable presents; the interview then terminated, and
Shaikh'Isa left the a Hardinge " under a salute of five guns. It was
observed that the Shaikh kept his sandals on throughout the interview
but his omission to remove them was evidently due to nervousness.
In the afternoon the Viceroy with his staff paid an informal visit to the
town of Manamah; he was met at the landing-place by the Shaikh, who
conducted him to the British Agency. After sundown coffee was served
at the Agency, and the attendants, in accordance with Arab custom,
poured rose water on the hands of the guests and perfumed their beards
and faces with the smoke of burning aloes. The Viceregal party then
returned on board. The arrangements made for the landing and embark
ing of the Viceroy and his staff were inadequate, and the tide at both
times was low, consequently 1J hours were lost in coming ashore and 2
hours in returning to the ship; the Shaikh also, after escorting Lord
Curzon to the place of embarkation, was guilty of some discourtesy in
leaving the spot before the whole party had got off in safety. For these
shortcomings, however, he subsequently apologised through Colonel
Kemball; and it must be remembered that the departure took place in the
month of Ramadhan at sunset, when the Arabs must have been impatient
to break their long day^s fast.
After the Viceroy had left Manamah for the " Hardinge, an
address by the Hindu traders of Bahrain was brought forward; but,
presented as it was unexpectedly, no opportunity for replying to in
could be found. The address ran as follows :—•
May it please Your Excellency, —We, the undersigned British Indian Merchants
I ln —-r^ " a h™in 3 have pleasure in taking advantage of your Lordship's visit
TiarriA 8 * 6 l^ands of the Gulf, to extend to you a most hearty welcome in the
name of our community.
a un