"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎٤‎٥] (١٧٨٢/٣٨٨)

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Was preVeuted by the assassiuatiou of the Sultan by one of his own sons
and the operations of the single British vessel sent to Qatif and Dam-
mam were inconclusive; but the local confederates of the W ahhabis at
8ur itself were severely punished. Later, it appeared that the Amir was
willing to accept British mediation in the dispute between himself and
the Sultan of J Oman and that the time allowed him for replying had
been too short. In 18G6, suitable assurances for the future having
reached the British representative in the Gulf from the Amir, peace was
re-established.
In the autumn of 1867 a sudden and treacherous descent was! made
by the Shaikhs of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi upon Dohah and Wakrah in
Qatar, places then dependent on the principality of Bahrain. The two
towns were wholly destroyed, the inhabitants being at the same time
driven forth and despoiled of all their property. There was some delay
on the part of the British authorities in taking action, due to the Abyssi
nian war and to other causes, during which the injured tribes themselves
attempted to retaliate upon Bahrain; but in the latter part of 1868 severe
if tardy chastisement was inflicted upon the two principal delinquents, the
Shaikh of Bahrain being deposed in favour of a brother, while his war
vessels and fort of Abu Mahur were annihilated, and the Shaikh of Abu
Dhabi being compelled to pay a fine under threat of bombardment of his
port.
At intervals between 1863 and 1869 the Persian Government put
forward claims to ownership of Bahrain, but they were academic and of
no political importance.
In 1869 the ex-Shaikh of Bahrain, aided by several desperate associ
ates of mark and a host of Bedouin tribesmen, invaded the main island.
The reigning Shaikh was defeated and killed in battle, and the princi
pality remained in the hands of the usurping coalition for two or three
months. Towards the end of the year a British naval squadron appeared
upon the scene and quickly overcame their attempted resistance. Several
of the ringleaders in the invasion, including the ex-Shaikh, were then
captured and deported to India; and Bahrain was left in possession of a
son of the deceased Shaikh.
In 1869 the Wahhabis, who had abstained from interference in the
events in Qatar and Bahrain just described, were expelled from Baraimi,
an outpost on the border between Trucial ; Oman and the ' Oman Sul
tanate from which they exercised influence over both, by a new and ener
getic Sultan of ' Oman. Civil war in Najd and the subsequent acnexa-
Destruction
of Dohah and
Wakrah by
the Shaikhs
of Bahrain
and Abu
Dhabi, and
British
action, 1867-
68.
Persian
claims to
Bahrain,
1862-69.
Invasion of
Bahrain
from the
mainland
and British
action, 1869»
Expulsion of
the Wahhabis
from Baraimi,
1869.