ABSTRACT
Somuchbywayofintroduction.HowcameBelgravetoarrive inBahrainwithhisnewly-marriedwifeonMarch1st1926?It requiresquiteaneffortofhistoricalimaginationtodaytorealisethat onlysixtyyearsago,theBritishimperialpositionintheworld,and particularlyinIndiaandontheroutestoIndia,wasafactoflife, evidenttoallandscarcelyquestioned,leastofallbytheBritish themselves.Nobodyatthetimewouldhavebeensurprisedwhenthe ViceroyofIndia,LordCurzon,onhisfamoustouroftheGulfin 1903,saidinaspeechtotheassembledshaikhsinSharjah:
TherearepersonswhoaskwhyGreatBritaincontinuesto exercisethesepowers.Thehistoryofyourstatesandofyour familiesandthepresentconditionoftheGulfaretheanswer. Wewereherebeforeanyotherpowerinmoderntimeshad shownitsfaceinthesewaters.Itwasourcommerceaswellas yoursecuritythatwasthreatenedandcalledforprotection. Thepeaceofthesewatersmuststillbemaintained,andthe influenceoftheBritishGovernmentmustremainsupreme.
