Page 330 - Records of Bahrain (2) (i)_Neat

Persian and Turkish claims to Bahrain, 1870-1874 321

( 19 )
Affaire, reported;to Lord Clarendon in Mr. Thomson’s
despatch No. 81, dated November 14th, a copy of
which has been transmitted-to»the Viceroy direct by
Mr. Thomson, the Persian Minister admitted that his
Government had not yet- acquired .sufficient power or
authority at Bahrein to enable it to repress acts of
piracy or to maintain order, though he trusted that,
before long, by the measures .which had been taken, the
Shah’s authority would be established there in such a
way as to obtain for the English Government-satisfac­
tion for any acts of which it might .have to complain, and
to prevent the possibility of future strife. It is evident
that the measures alluded to are those brought to our
notice in a letter from the Bombay Government, No. 21,
dated January 20th, 1870, a copy of which we enclose
for your Grace’s information. It appears from these
documents that a vessel, carrying Arab colours, arrived
off the harbour of Bahrein in the afternoon of Novem­
ber the 19th last. She was armed and, on approaching
the harbour, she “ kept up a fire of cannon.” On
trying to break the blockade, maintained under our au­
thority, by passing Her Majesty’s Ship Daphne, she was
boarded. Shortly afterwards Ilajcc Abd Alee, her chief
passenger, had an interview with Colonel Pclly and
Captain Douglas, It. N., when he intimated that lie was
the bearer of a dress of honour and of a letter from
the Prince Governor of Pure to Mahomed bin Abdoolla,
the pirate Chief, and of letters to the same person
from Mirza Mchdcc Khan, for loug an employe of the
Persian Eorcign Office, and from three Chiefs of Dashtcc.
He said that he himself was in no way accredited by the
Persian Government, but that Mchdeo Khan had orders
from the Prince Governor of Ears to go as envoy to
Bahrein. It docs not seem, however, to have suited
Mchdcc Khan’s purpose to comply with this order,
for he availed himself of a letter which he had from
the Prince Governor to Hyder. Khan, one of the
Chipfs of Dashtco, enjoining tho latter to render all
nssi^tanco,.and induced tho Chicf.;t'o send Hnjco Abd
Aleo as his (tho Chief’s) deputy. He himself remained
at Daycr.
*
20. After his first interview Hajee Abd Alee
asked lenvo to make over his
Noroinbor 21*t, lHfiO.
letters to the llesidont, but Colonel