Page 75 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part Il—Chap. XVI. 53

CHAPTER XVI.

TIIE IMAM OF MASKAT’S EXPEDITIONS AGAINST TIIE JOAS-
MIS IN 1813 AND 1814. HIS CLAIM FOR OCR ASSIST­
ANCE ON THE BASIS OF AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN
HIM AND THE BRITISH REPCDIATED.
133. In 1813 the Imam prepared an expedition against Rns-ul-Khima for
the purposo of reinstating the Joasmi Chief in bis Government, Sheikh Sultan
promising that if His Highness would restore him to his hereditary posses­
sions, he would ever consider himself as a vassal of the Imam and his allies
and never again or his tribe commit piracies. The Imam requested that
Mr. Bruce, who was at Maskat, would accompany him to witness the treaty,
which he would enter with Sultan bin Saggar and for the purpose also of
negotiating a treaty with the Joasmi Chief on the part of tho British Govern­
ment, which, as observed by the Imam, would have more effect in keeping
him to the performance of his engagements than anything else, as Sultan
bin Saggar was now aware of our determination not to allow the slightest insult
to pass unnoticed. As the renewal of the treaty entered into by the Joasmi
Chief was deemed essential, Mr. Bruce was instructed to adopt the necessary
measures accordingly and to contract similar engagements with the other
Chieftains in the Gulf.
134. The first expedition having failed, the Imam equipped a second one
in 1814, and addressed through his Vakil at Bombay an appeal to the
Governor of Bombay, Sir Evan Nepean, for aid of two ships of war with a
body of troops. He based his demand on the basis of tho old alliance between
the British and the Imam, as explained in his letter to the Vakil, translation
of whioh is given below:—

Translation of a Utter from His Highness Syyud Sa'ced the Imam of Muscat to Mahomed Poll. Dept. Diary
Aleekhan. No- <£1814,
pp. 2562-2684.
My former intimation and application for aid and assistance against the Juwasimee,
who are still carrying on their excesses and violent proceedings, was induced by the idea
that my enemies were those of the English, that my friends were those of the English ; that
the foes of the English were my foes j that their allies wore my allies ; that our State, and
property, and cities and territories were identified and that there existed no separate interest.
You have now, no doubt, heard of the excesses of the Juwasimces, and of the plunder com­
mitted by them. They have piratically oarried off several vessels and dingeys loaded with
cargoes, on their way to Curachee and Cutch, and these under English Colours or my own.
"Whenever I go in quest of them, they make off and will not remain in their own haunts. In
obedience to the Divine Command I am now setting out to attack them, for the purpose of
destroying or capturing them, and I hope I shall obtain the countenance of Heaven in my
effort to suppress and annihilate them.
"Under those circumstances, I think it proper to notify the circumstance to my friend the
Right Honourable the Governor—should it be in his power to afford me his assistance, I
request that he will detain two ships of war with such a body of troops as he may deem
advisable, and adequate for this service, and I entreat that he will dispatch them with the
utmost expedition, that, God willing, the excesses of that tribe may be repressed and relief
thereby afforded to God's creatures. I should not have intruded on tho present occasion if I
did not only consider the English as my friends and allies; but our situations as identified, and
our property and cities as the same, in view to which I make this communication.
136. The Bombay Government replied by a note from the Secretary poU. D«pt Di»rv
and Translator in the office of Country Correspondence to Mahomed AliNo.’«2of isu;
Khan Shuaturi, Agent to the Imam of Maskat, dated the 2nd June 1814:— pp. 2926-2928.
I have been direoted by tho Right Honourable the Governor in Council to acknowledge
the receipt of your note hearing date tho I4th of last month and to communicate to you the
following observations on the subject letter from His Highness the Imaum of Muscat inclosed
in it