مجموعة ٣٠/٩٠ "المطالبة الفارسية بجزيرة البحرين" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٥] (١٠٦٢/٢١٥)

Lor. I, 892
were concerned, and that the annual tribute of 4,000 dollars whic.i he indubitably
paid "(cv. paragraph 50 above) to the Amir was on account or the possessions
held by him in Qatar on the Arabian mainland, the object of the payment being
to secure those possessions against attacks by Arab tiibes under Vahabi
influence. The Government of India, in the light of the Resident s investigation,
expressed the view in March 1867 that the Sheikh was independent of all other
Powers in respect of his insular possessions and owed fealty to the W ahabis only
in regard to Qatar.
Summary, 1861-67
76. This period is marked by assertions of the Persian claim in 1862 and
1866. Her Majesty’s Government on both occasions made it clear that they
could not regard that claim as well founded.
Investigation showed that the tribute still paid (1867) by the Sheikh to the
Wahabi Amir was in respect of Bahreini possessions on the mainland of Arabia,
and not in respect of Bahrein, which the Sheikh held independently of all other
Powers.
IX.—Discussions and Incidents, 1868-70
77. Questions of considerable importance as bearing on the status of
Bahrein arose in 1868-70 consequent on—
(a) the disciplinary action taken by the Government of India against the
ruling Sheikh Md. bin Khalifa, in view of his breaches of the
Maritime Truce of 1820, which resulted in his flight from Bahrein in
September in 1868 and the succession as sole Sheikh of his brother,
Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa;
(b) the punitive action taken at Bahrein by the Government of India in
November-December 1869, consequent on the invasion of Bahrein by
the ex-Sheikh Md. bin Khalifa, the murder of Sheikh Ali and the
attempt of Sheikh Md. bin Khalifa and Sheikh Md. bin Abdullah to
establish themselves in control of the islands.
78. In view of the weight attached by the Persians to the declarations made
in the course of those discussions as indicating the view held by Her Majesty’s
Government on the status of Bahrein, of the Persian allegations that overtures to
Persia had been made by the ruling Sheikh, Ali bin Khalifa, and by the ex-
Sheikh, Md. bin Khalifa, and of the misleading but categorical accusations made
against the Resident by the Persian Government, it seems desirable to examine in
some detail the correspondence which passed and the sequence of events.
Bushire
Desp. 3 of
25.9.1868.
Aitch. XI,
No. xi, 236-7.
Pol. Res. to
Govt, of
Bombay,
No. 3,
25.9.1868.
Punitive Expedition of August-September 1868
79. In 1868, consequent on an attack on Qatar by the Sheikh of Bahrein,
the Government of India resolved to take disciplinary action against Sheikh
Mohammed bin Khalifa. The Sheikh sent an agent to Bushire to satisfy the
Resident, but the agent having no powers from his master, his mission proved
fruitless, and he returned to Bahrein in August 1868. An armed expedition was
thereupon sent against the Sheikh in August—September of that year. Before it
reached Bahrein the Sheikh fled to the Arab mainland, and he was thereafter
regarded by the people of Bahrein and by Her Majesty’s Government as having
abdicated the Sheikhdom. The expedition found it unnecessary to use any force,
y.— 881011 , k e * n & made on its arrival by Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa, brother of
Sheikh Mohamed, who had previously been associated with Sheikh Mohamed to
some extent in the Sheikhship. An agreement was reached by the Political
Resident with Sheikh Ah, which disposed of the matters in dispute, on 6th
September, 1868. The agreement was signed by “Ali bin Khalifah and the
inhabitants and subjects oi Bahrein. It declared inter alia that “ Md. bin
Khalil ah having repeatedly committed acts of piracy and other irregularities at
sea ana having now after his recent piratical acts, fled from Bahrein, has
forfeited all claim to his title as principal Sheikh and Chief of Bahrein ’”
80. Subsequently to the conclusion of this agreement the Resident, by way
of punishment destroyed the fort of Muharraq by gunfire and burnt certain
vessels of war belonging to Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifah. His despatch whidh
contains a detailed report on the course of events, makes no reference to any flying