"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎١‎١‎٢] (١٧٨٢/١٢٨٣)

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1850-61.
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1865-68
1869.
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1112
'Abdullah and the Wahhabi governor of Qatif ; but it miscarried, when
on the point of execution, through the scheme of action becomino-
known in Bahrain. In 1846 two collisions between Wahhabi and
Bahrain forces occurred on the mainland and each side was able to boast
of one victory. At length, in August 1847, the Shaikh of Bahrain
having been weakened by the desertion of some of the Bani Khalid from
his side, terms were arranged whereby the Wahhabi Amir undertook
to withdraw his active support from the ex-Shaikh, and the Shaikh in
return engaged to pay §4,000 a year to the Wahhabis as Zakat.
In 1850 relations between Shaikh Muhammad and the Amir Faisal
again became strained, in consequence of the punishment by the Wahhabi
ruler of one of his own envoys to whom the Shaikh had given a flatter
ing welcome, and of a cold reception which Muhammad had subsequently
accorded to a son of Sa'ad-bin-Mutlaq, the Wahhabi agent in 'Oman. In
1851 the Amir arrived in person in the neighbourhood of Qatar, seduced
the inhabitants of the principal places in that promontory from their
allegiance to Bahrain, and demanded an extravagant increase in the
Bahrain tribute, of which payment had probably been withheld altogether.
Muhammad thereupon blockaded the Hasa coast; but the preparations of
the Wahhabis, who were now joined bj the sons of the late ex-Shaikh,
had assumed formidable proportions; and it is probable that the Shaikh
was only saved from destruction by the appearance of a British squadron
which the Resident sent for the protection of the islands. In July 1851
peace was again arranged by the efforts of the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi;
but secretly tension continued; and the Wahhabi Amir established the
sons of the late ex-Shaikh of Bahrain at Dammam.
After these events, particularly in 1855-56, some correspondence in
regard to Bahrain took place between the Wahhabi Amir and the
usie r Political Residency; the Amir claimed the right to chastise at
f e r; -T- epen(ient ' tlie sllai kh of Bahrain; and the warning returned
ri 1& 1 le P resen tative under the authority of the Government of
n la, that no interference with Bahrain would be permitted, caused
him intense irritation and dissatisfaction.
qi ^ ie W ^ 0 a " e 8' e d} and perhaps not without truth, tkat
ai of Bahiain was inciting the tribes of Hasa to hostile action
• ^ai J is subjects, having disregarded the warnings of the Resident
piesence of a Biitish corvette off his coast, caused preparations
.. . e ^ Soyeniov of Qatif, assisted by a son of the late
o Bahrain, foi a serious invasion of the islands. A British
squadron was then despatched to threaten Dammam ; and, in the result,