Page 497 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

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RE8IDENCY AND lfUftgjg POLITICAL AGENCY JOB 1887-88.

excoution of thwo Instructions, may porbap* ^ ^ii power to acquire o great glory which prolong* «ho
memory of men beyond tho duration of wjos.
The Atalanta frigate, a famous shij, jn her day, was painted a bright yellow colour ill
white mouldings, and woo one of the swiftest and handsomest vessels of her class in the
naVy. She sailed from Mauritius on the fith September 1808, and reached Muscat on the 3rd
October. On anchoring in the covo 8ho was boarded by the Wali, who, on being
acquainted with the purport of M. do Cavaignae'e mission, informed that gentleman that
Seyyid Sultan was absent in the interior^ being engaged in operations against the Wahhabees,
promised, however, that immediate intimation should be sent to him of the Atalanie •
he
arrival, and, in the meantime, offered M. de Cavaignac the hospitality of a house on shore. Ak
this time the Resident, Captain Seton, was absent on duty, having sailed in the Termite
in the beginning of September for another part of the Qnlf, and,the French envoy, therefore, had
a fair opportunity of making friends with the leading Arabs, and of pressing the advantages of
a French alliance. It was in his favour also that the commercial intercourse so long existing
with Mauritius had caused the formation of a etroog French party in the town, as he was able
to depend on the influence of these partisans at the palace, and it was from them that he first
learned of the existence of the treaties of 1798 and 1800.
Congrataluting himself, therefore, on the opportune absence of his adversary, the English
Resident, M. de Cavaignac entertained for some days high hopes of procuring a favourable
reception and of succeeding in his mission.
Seyyid Sultan returned to Muscat on the morning of the 12th October 1803. He bzd
been engaged in contending and negociating with the Wahhabee General, but on receiving his
'Wall’s letter had started at once for Muscat, firmly resolved upon the course he would adopt
with Napoleon’s agent.
The captain of the Atalanta, on hearing of Seyyid Sultan’s arrival, sent two of his
officers to convey his respects and compliments, and to ask for an interview. Ike officers were
civilly received, and on being questioned as to the object of the Atalanta*9 visit replied that it
was desired to establish a French Residency at Muscat, and that an officer appointed to act as
Consul by the French Government was on board the vessel. The same afternoon Seyyid
Saltan sent two Arab officials on board, with instructions to acquaint the Captain and
M. de Cavaignac that His Highness could not receive a French Agent and Consul on account of
the engagements recently entered into with the English, and that he declined an interview to
discuss the subject; but that, as he wished tG remain on friendly terms with the French, bis
harbours would always be open, as before, to their vessels, and that he would be happy
to listen to any proposals they had to make on commercial matters. In dictating
diplomatic message, Seyyid Sultan was no doobt actuated by a keen regard for his coautry-'*
interests. While fearful of offending the French, the remembrance of Captain Malcolm^
arguments and the momentous erects that had occurred since his {Malcolm3^ viat,such as tho
evacuation of Egypt by the French army, and the triumphs of Lord Late in India, had
created a deep impression on the Prince’s mind, and must have convinced him more ever
as to the incomparably greater importance to the Arabs of the Kng&fc ora- the French
alliance.
The tone of the message must have shown M. de Cavaignac the hopelessness of argument
and representation on his part, as he does not appear to have again sought an interview, but it
was a bitter disappointment to him, for his Arab friends had made him. sanguine of success, and
he had doubtless been anticipating in his mind the approbation of Napoleon.
Reluctant, however, to abandon so easily the mission with which he had bees charged, he
waited in the harbour for one more day ami then, under cover of the darkness of midnight on
the 13th, the Atalanta*9 broad sail* her oat of the port, and by the morning she
nowhere to be seen.
This attempt closed for the time French’ political intercourse with Muscat, and it was not
renewed until Seyyid Saeed sent a mi*sion to the Lde of France after the murder of Seyyid
Bedr m 1807.
But the French privateers nevertheless did not cease to make Mxwcat a rendezvous and
base for their operations against Britit^ shipping in the Persian and ’Oman Gulfs, and great
was the depredation committed by then*
n v?fftte tfn yea" of Se^d titan’s reign, from 1793 to 1804, the loss inflicted on
TterliV Indian °Ce“ ^ not lesfL* *50 lakhs of rupees, ox .bout throe