Page 150 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

128 Part V—Chap. XXVI EC
Tho independent Arabs now ndvanccd nnd surrounded Maskat, and tbo Persian Ar
was reduoed to considerable difficulties. About this time intelligence of the death of N
Shah reached them, tho Persians made cortain proposals to tho Arabs, which wore fin II*
agreed to, and tho Persian Army returned baok to Bunder Abassco without effectin'- the
•bjeot of their ooming. ”
11. In this state of affairs Ahmed bin Saed, the grandfather of the present Imam
of Maskat, and then a Chieftain Commanding at Sohar, assumed tho Government of Oraaun
and was proclaimed Imam.
12. The claims of Persia therefore to the Islands of Kishm, Ormuz, etc., seem to rest
entirely upon their being considered as dependencies of Bunder Abassee. 'This point I hovo
not yot been able to ascertain, but it is quite evident that tho Imam in not disposed to
acknowledge tho right of Persia to the island* in quostion, and it is, I boliovo, tho universal
law of nntious to claim ns a right that which they hnvo obtained by the sword. Porsia
with equal presumption claims the Island of Bahrain because it was onoo tributary to it
though it has thrown off the yoke, nnd paid no tributo for theso 30 vears. Persia may with
equal justice lay olntrn to Dehli at the present day bocauso Nadir Shah once conquered and
plundered it.
13. In my discussions therefore with the Persian Ministers, I think I shall bo able, ia
point of right, to support nil tho measures the British Government have adopted in occupy­
ing the Island of Kishm, when I consider, however, tho very heavy expense of supporting
the establishment, the impossibility of employing tho troops on any activo service ia the
Gulf, for four mouths in tho yoir on account of the excessive heats, tho sickness that has
prevailed there ever since the hot weather commenced, nnd the inellicionoy of the foroe
arising from that cause ulone, I confess, I feel more doubts than I have heretofore done, as to
the expediency aud utility of tho measuro; but as 1 am aware that different sontimonts have
been and probably still are, entertained by those who are far more competent to decide than
I am, I beg to offer such a hint with extreme diffidence and with tho most perfect conviction
of the fullibility of my own judgment.

(?) QUESTION OF CONTROLLING PIRATICAL PORTS EXCLUSIVELY TIIROUGII A
MARINE FORCE.
258. The Bombay Government being desirous of ascertaining the practi­
cability of controlling the piratical ports
Volume 26—51 of 1821, pago 480.
in the Gulf of Persia exclusively through
the medium of a marine force, which might render tho maintenance of a
military one in that quarter for that purpose unnecessary, requested Henry
Meriton, Superintendent of Marine, to submit his opinion on the subject with a
plan for maintaining a watch and cruize during the period -which is favourable
to the prosecution of piracies. Mr. Meriton submitted in his letter No. 330,
dated 26th November 1821, the following observations and suggestions :—
I beg to state that after a careful examination of the charts of tho Gulf of Persia, and
repeated conferences with Lieutenants Hardy, Grubb, and Robinson, officers who have a perfeot
knowledge of that navigation, and who have recently returned from that station, it appears
that the principal ports from which piratical vessels are most likely to be fitted out, and from
which they can most readily get to sea, are the following on the Arabiau Coast, namely, Ramp,
Rss-ul-kima, Sharga and Deboy.
3. The above four ports extending from the 25th to 20th degrees of latitude and occupy
a range of coast, of about 70 miles, and as they are all easy of access, I think they might be
guarded in the following manner. That there should be three cruisers (one of each class)
constantly cruising in the face of these ports, and visiting them all from time to time, when
it would be Eeen if any preparations were going on in the equipment of voxels, and, if so,
that it should be unequivocally ascertained, on what service they were moant to be employed.
One of the three cruisers might as occasion require proceed to the Island of Khen for
water and refreshment, leaving the other two on the watch and cruising as before stated. I
say the Island of Khen as a station from whioh the cruiser could return immediately to her
consorts if wanted on emergency, as the prevailing winds (north-westerly) would enable the
cruisers to navigate to and from the Island of Khen to the piratical ports at all seasons of tbe
year, and if a small depot of stores with the gun-boats under tho care of a marine officer
(present master attendant at Kishm) and a detail of 6epoys (say 20) could be kept at Khen
for the refit and supply of those cruisers, they would be able to keep their cruising
ground during tbe whole of these months in which the pirates would put to sea, wore they to
fit out vessels for that purpose. I therefore conoeive that the distribution of tho Honourable
Company's cruisers in the Persian Gulf might bo ns follows :—Three (one of each class) to
cruise, and watch, in face of the piratical ports before mentioned. Two, for the purpose of
navigating and giving convoy if required between hi as feat and Bushire and Bussorah, and
with despatches or for other purposes. One, to run to Bombay with packets, etc., as occasion
may require.