'ملف رقم 19/165 III (C 24) الإصلاحات في البحرين' [و‎‎١‎٦‎٣] (٤٢٦/٣٣٢)

/63
CONFIDENTIAL.
Ho. 521 -3 of 1924.
British Heeidency and Consiaate -General,
Buehire $ 6 th Beptenher 1924.
From
To
lie Hon'ble :jLeut-Col. F. B. rxideaux, C.S .I. p C .I .I .,
Political Kesident in the ""erfiian Gulf.
The Foreign Secretary to the Governsient of India
in the foreign and Political Pepartiaent 9 Simla.
Sir, i-
/ I have the honour to refer to your letter Ho.
36-7, dated the 23rd Au£UBt 1924, in ithich you call for
my views on a letter from Shaikh lea's rolicitore, with
special reference to the suggestion that the Bahrain State
should provide the costs of the Shaikh's memorial to the
Oovermaent of India end of a further appeal which he pro-
-pose# to address to the Secretary of State for India.
2. he Ciovernasnt of India will remember that in
1869 the father of Shaikh Isa bin All was killed by a cousin
who usurped the Chief ship of Bahrain. The British Govern*
-ment intervened, the enemies of the deceased Shaikh All bin
Khalifa were imprisoned and Shaikh Isa was installed as
Chief on the nomination of the heads of the Arab tribes of
Bahrain. Shaikh Isa has always entertained an exaggerated
idea of the benefits conferred on him on thtsoccasion by the
tribes, who in consequence have been accustomed to assert
a
their internal autonoiqy and to deny the Chief's right to pass
i H!
orders upon them. This has been the chief cause of the
Shaikh's unsatisfactory rule. ihe mass of the people of
Bahrain, who are Arabic speaking Shiaha, were the sufferers
and their condition resembled that of helots, who could call
no lands nor the produce of any lands their own.