'ملف رقم 19/165 III (C 24) الإصلاحات في البحرين' [و‎‎٨‎٠] (٤٢٦/١٦٤)

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the Political Agent, tfe would be convenient if the answer could be sent prior to, or
about the time of, Colonel Prideaux's arrival, as the Shaikh and mischief-makers at
Bahrain are certain to petition and agitate on a change of Resident just as they did
when 1 returned from leave, and if an unfavourable reply to the Shaikh's petition
were delivered before or at Colonel Prideaux-'s first visit to the Island it would go
far to silence the clamour. In any case it would not be advisable unless circum
stances urgently demand it—for my successor to visit Bahrain until he can take
with him an answer from the Government of India to Shaikh isa s petition,which
will 1 trust be to the effect that they have nothing to add to the communications
already made to him.
Copy forwarded with compliments to the Political Agent, Bahrain, for inform-'
ation.
Enclosure of Serial No. (2). — C omment on M emorial from S haikh S ir Isl
B in A li A l K halifa, K .CAt., of B ahrain, to H is E xcellency this
Viceroy, dated 13tH February 1924.
When the memorial was for\varded to Government it was not thought neces
sary to make any comment as each and «very matter connected with the mis-
government of Shaikh Isa and the reforms which were initiated in June 1923 under
the instructions of His Majesty's Government; have been reported to the Government
of India. But as comment has now been called for, the following remarks are
offered taking the paragraphs of Shaikh Isa's memorial seriatim.
1. After the words " installed on the throne " Shaik Isa has omitted to put
" by the British" Government " and inserted " by the will and approbation, etc. '
for which, as far as is known, there is no authority.
2. Subject to the proviso that the government of the Shaiks is reasonably
good and not such as to bring odium on the Protecting Power. Shaikh Isa has
not got to go farther than the removal of his predecessor and his own elevation
to the Shaikhdom for precedent for interference by the British Government. It
is common report in Bushire that Shaik Isa was installed as Shaikh on condition
that he ruled well and with justice. Though I have no official confirmation of this,-
it is so commonly believed and stated in Bushire, and such a likely condition
fcr Sir Lewis Pelly to have made, that I believe it to be correct.
8. Shaikh has omitted reference to misgovernment which is a recognized
teaSon for interference by the Protecting Power.
4. Shaikh describes h s rule as " peaceful and popular ' ; it has been peaceful
from outside aggression thanks to the protection of the British Government, but
by no means so internally for the indigenous population who have been ill-
treated, looted and murdered by Shaikh isa and with perfect impunity by every
member of his own family and all the petty Shaikhs of the Al Khalifa \\lio desired
to act in such a way ', and popular with a small section of the Sunni tribal heads
and nakhudas because they could do what they liked. It is emphatically unpopu
lar with the Shiah majority as countless petitions and reports have shown.
5. No " consul " as far as is known has ever reported favourably on Shaikh
Isa's Government. "Toleration" would describe the feelings of most of the
" consuls " better than " friendliness and goodwill."
6. Before coming to Bahrain Major Daly was serving in Mesopotamia for
three vears ; there is no evidence h^ k conceived a serious dislike for the Arab
people." " Forcing on me inadmissible concessions" a parently refers to the
proposed oil concession to the D'Arcy Exploration Company. In point of fact
all that was done was to endeavour to make the Shaikh adhere to his promise
not to grant a concession to a company not approved by the British Government
and to give one rather to the D'Arcy Company, whose application had been made
two years earlier, rathet than the Eastern Syndicate. Hie Shaikh refeis to
" the extraordinary plea of old age, etc."—far from extraordinary in view of Irs re
cord. " Wholesale fining, imprisonments, and deportations " means as regards
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