"الملف 38/3 II شركة امتيازات النفط المحدودة: امتياز قطر" [و‎‎١‎٣‎٠] (٣٣٦/٢٥٩)

Confidentiel
1/15/49.
DOHA,
51st August 1949.
Selih came to see ^e to-day and told me that
the monthly payment for Gustos dues, Guards* wages etc.
which the company had just made had been handed over by
Sheikh Ali to his father.
2. The money was handed over to Salih by the Com
pany yesterday, and he took it to Ali. Later he received
a letter from Abdullah, demanding that the money be paid
to him. He showed me the letter, and it was a simple
demand, with no reasons given. He said that he had takem
the letter to Sheikh Ali, w r ho had told him to pay the
money to his father. He did so this morning, and then
came and told me.
3. I told him that at that rate, all Government
would rapidly become impossible, and asked him why he
had not come to me before handing over the money. He s
said he had not thought of it. I read him a short lecture
and then told him that I wished to see Ali at once.
4. > Ali came to his house, and I met him there.
I asked him if it was true that ue had paid the money to
his father, and he replied that he had, but that it was
money accruing from the time that his father was Sheikh.
I disposed of that argument, and he then said that his
father was an old man, and he could not refuse him what
he asked. I said his father was in no need of money,
thiat he might more properly be helping his son than
trying to get money^ out of him, that his first duty as
a ruler was to his people, not his father etc. etc. He
said it would not happen again. I replied that that was
not the point,- that the money was expressly for the
payment of wages and the expenses of government, and was
not his to give away. I asked w r ho would pay the officials
their wages. He said his father would have to do so. I
said that in that case they would be his father’s servants
and quite bluntly that it w r as no use his calling himself
Ruler,- the ruler was the man with the money chest.
5. I then^asked him td> go to his father and get
the money back. 1 said that if"his father claimed that
it was due to him under the abdication settlement, he
should tell him that the expenses of government were to
be the first charge on revenue, and that he would get his
share later, ne went off saying that he would do so, and
H.G. Jakins Esq.,
H.M. Political Agent,
Bahrain.