IOR/R/15/2/21

The volume records a dispute between the Ruler of Nejd [Najd] and dependencies and the Ruler of Bahrain [occasionally also referred to in the papers as Bahrein] over the imposition by the Ruler of Bahrain of a charge of 5% customs duty (previously 2.5%) on goods destined for Nejd and Hassa [Hasa] even when those goods did not leave the Customs House at Bahrain and find their way into Bahrain itself. The dispute resulted in intervention by British officials and the Government of India.

The papers include correspondence from the Political Agent, Bahrain (Major Harold Richard Patrick Dickson), the Deputy Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Prescott Trevor), Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd (Ibn Sa‘ūd)], Ruler of Nejd and dependencies, Sheikh Isa [Sheikh ‘Īsá bin ‘Alī Āl Khalīfah, Hakim of Bahrain], Ruler of Bahrain, and other British officials. The correspondence between the two rulers and the Political Agent, Bahrain is in both Arabic and English.

The papers include:

• correspondence concerning the dispute dated February - May 1920, including letter from the Political Agent, Bahrain to the Deputy Political Resident in the Persian Gulf dated 28 February 1920 setting out both sides of the dispute and commenting in favour of Bin Saud's claim;
• correspondence dated July - September 1920 concerning Sheikh Isa's acceptance of the British decision that only 2% duty should be charged on transit goods consigned to the mainland, provided that those goods were removed from the Bahrain Customs House within twenty days of landing;
• correspondence dated November 1920 - February 1921 concerning complaints by Bin Saud that the new customs regulations were not being administered in a friendly spirit, particularly in relation to piece-goods.