"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٩‎٣‎١] (١٧٨٢/١٠٨٦)

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over the Shaikh, to improve the character of British political represent'
ation in Bahrain. The policy of the customs farmers, it may be remarked,
was weak and conciliatory towards all traders; and there was no question
of injury to foreig-n trade in Bahrain from their proceedings, but only
of great financial loss to the Bahrain Government.
In 1899 it was felt that the time had come to replace the Native British
Agent representing the British Government in Bahrain by a European pvesentatioa
officer. In earlier days, before the reduction of the Bushehr Residency in Bahrain,
staff in 1879, an Assistant Resident had occasionally been sent to reside
in Bahrain; and since then a great development of British interests,
and especially of trade, had taken place. The Agent in 1899, a local
merchant named Agha Muhammad Rahim, was moreover uncongenial
to the Shaikh, over whom he possessed no influence; he was not free
from suspicion of having abused his position in order to forward his
own commercial interests; and the protection of British Indian traders
from petty exactions was not so complete, nor the settlement of their
cases so rapid, as could be desired.
Accordingly, in January 1900, the employment of a European officer in 1900.
Bahrain was|sanctioned as a temporary measure, and at the end of the year,
with the approval of the Secretary of State, it was made permanent. Mr,
J. C. Gaskin, an uncovenanted Political Assistant of the Bushehr
Residency, was the first incumbent; he arrived at Manamah and
assumed charge of his office on the 10th of February 1900.
During the years 1901 and 1902 an official residence for the Assistant 1901-02.
Political Agent was built on the shore to the east of Manamah
town at a total cost of Rs. 31,470 ; when completed it was the most
commodious and imposing edifice on the main island.
In 1902 the question of investing the Political Assistant in Bahrain 1902.
with powers under the Merchant Shipping Act, and with those of
a Notary Public, was discussed. In the end it was decided, as the
matter was not urgent and various technical difficulties existed, not to
pursue the matter.
In 1904, after the failure of various attempts to induce the Shaikh
of Bahrain to agree to a reform of his customs administration, a further
enhancement of the status of the British representative in the islands
was proposed by the Government of India and approved by His Majesty's
Government; it consisted in the substitution of an officer on the
graded list of the Indian Political Department for the subordinate
officer whose appointment had been sanctioned in 1900. The change
was carried into effect on the 18th of October 1904, Mr. Gaskin being on
68 a
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