Page 339 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

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CHAPTER XIX,

118. In his letter to Earl Granville, Mr. Thomson writes :—
"I have llic honor to report thnt a special Agent, named Hnji llashem Khan, an evployi
oftho Porsian Foreign Office, has lately been despatched from Teheran with stringent orders
front the Sadr Azont to the llishmut-ood-dowlab, Prince Oove.mor of Arabi&tan, for the
apprebonsion of tho remaining pirates still at Fclaheoa and for the recovery of the property
plundered from tho Mail Steamer Cashmere at Busrab. J
lf This Agent has orders to go on if necessary to FclaWa, tvhero he will place himself in
communication with Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Busrab, and I tru?t no further delay will
now be allowed to take place in compelling Sheik Lufti to surrender tho pirates to whom he
has for some timo extended his protection."
119. A letter was then addressed by the Government of India to Colonel
Herbert, thanking him for what be bad already done, encouraging himto
proceed, and hoping be would not allow his efforts to he damped by the delays
and evasions through which tho repeated orders of I ho Persian Government
for the arrest and surrender of the offenders still at Eolnhcea and the recovery
of the plundered property were defeated by the local officials.
-
120. Mr. Thomson was asked what results had attended the deputation of
the Agent to Eelaheea, and he was told that the Government of India confi­
dently expected that the Persian Government would give effect to their repeat­
ed orders, and not allow them to be defeated and set at nought.

Suggestion of the Government of India that toe Turkish authorities should be moved to
compensate the sufferers.
121. The Government of India, in its despatch to the Secretary of State, No.
16, dated the 22nd of July 1872, which reported the circumstances of the attack
on tho Cashmere, suggested that Earl Granville should be asked to move tho
Turkish Government to keep its local authorities active in their endeavours to
capture the pirates, and further suggested that stops should be taken to procure
compensation to tho family of the man who was killed and to the meu who
wero wounded.
122. The communication from the Secretary in the Secret and Political
Department, No. 117, dated the lltli of October last, gave cover to a letter from
the Foreign Office, which pointed out that the efforts of the Turkish Govern­
ment for the apprehension of the pirates had not been ineffectual, as proved by
the capture of tho marauders and the recovery of some of the specie.
123. "With regard, however, to the question of compensating the injured
persons, Lord Granville after consulting tho Law officers, expressed au
opinion that it would not be right to ask either the Persian or the Turkish
Government to mako compensation for acts of murder and robbery done by
lawless depredators, for the reason that Her Majesty’s Government would not
hold themselves liable to compensate foreigners, or their relatives, for the
misdeeds of British malefactors.
124«. The Secretary of State was informed by tho Government of India
that although this was perfectly true as regards ordinary crimes and offences,
still the circumstances of the attack upon a British steam-vcssol when lying at !
anchor in a Turkish harbour and under tho guns of a Turkish war-vessel
were so exceptional and unprecedented as to render special consideration
necessary, aud if not, to justify the demand of compensation as a right, at
least to warrant Government in laying the case beforo the Turkish Govern­
ment with a view to generous and liberal consideration being extended to tho
wounded men and tho family of tho man who was killed (Despatch No. 6,
■
dated 31st January 1873). :
I;
Complaints regarding the delay in the 7'estitution of the plundered property.
125. On tho 30th of July last, Messrs. Gray, Paul Co., Agents for tho Bri­
tish India Steam Navigation Company at
Proceeding8* General A., Soptoinber 1872, No. 03.
Bushire, addressed Colonel Pelly in view to i
i