Page 36 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat
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u                            Part I-


                         of the English Sally and Fori William Company had been anchored, ho found
                         that an attempt -was being made to murder him and his party, where upon the
                         English anticipated the Kaab by attacking them at once and wounding the
                         Sheikh dangerously and killing several. On the English side only one Euro­
                         pean and one sepoy was killed. The English made an attempt to capture the
                         Fort William and Sallyt but the Kaab on seeing this set tiro to the ships,
                         which burnt to the water’s edge. (Easrah letter to the Presidonoy, dated 23rd
                         October 17GG, selection No. CL XU.)
                            41. Tho operations against the elusive Kaabs were necessarily slow and
                         dosultory, and exposed the English to great risks from sudden attacks of tho
                                                       Kaab. On tho 30th August 1700, Cap­
                          •Not Lieutenant Neibil who was killed before.
                                                       tain" Nosbit loft Gaban with tho Tur­
                         kish galleys and boats under his charge, while Captain Brower with his
                         people disembarked and proceeded up the river with the artillery, ammunition,
                         etc., together with a party of seaman uuder the command of Licutonant llail and
                         Smith. Captain Brewer’s party was on 23rd September attacked by tho enemy’s
                         redoubts and in tho fights that ensued, there were killed Captaiu Brewer and
                         two othor ofDoors and 18 privates, and wounded 38, of whom several died
                         afterwards.
                             The English were quite disgustod with this desultary fighting, which
                         brought them so many losses, and almost welcomed Karim Khan’s message to the
                         Mussalim saying that neither the Turks nor the English had any business in
                         territory which belonged to Persia, that tho Kaab were Persian subjects and that
                         it was for him to obtain redress from them for any losses sulfored by tho English
                         (Agent’s letter, dated 23rd October 17GO, to the Presidency, Selection No.
                         CLXII, and Despatch to tho Court of Directors, dated 17th November 1766).
                             4i2. Agashy Caun, an Ambassador deputed by the Vakil, proceeded to meet
                                                       the Kaab Sheikh and negotiate with him
                           Basrah Factory Diary No. 4-1 of 1766-07.
                                Seltc'ioHS, Xo. CLXV.  for the restitution claimed by the English,
                         hut he was given only evasive replies by tho wily Sheikh and having been treat­
                         ed with scant courtesy, returned in disgust (Basrah letter, dated 16th April
                         1707). The Turks now refused to do anything agaiust the Turks for fear of
                         offending Karim Khan. As there was little to be gained from single
                         handed, operations against the Kaab, the Bombay Government determined to
                         send an agent to the Court of the Vakil to negotiate a treaty with a view to
                         obtain restitution from them, even on tho condition of the English having to
                         agree to assist him against Meer Mohana (which was against the policy express­
                         ly laid down by the Court of Directors in lus despatch, dated 25th March 1765),
                         Mr. Skipp was ordered to be deputed for this purpose to Shiraz (letter from
                         the Presidency, dated 18th January 1767, Selection No. CLXILl).
                             4:3. The agency at Basrah (presided over by Mr. Moore) appears at this
                         time to have conceived a unaccountable antipathy against Karim Khan, and to
                         have aimed at withdrawing the Residency at Bushire and concentrate the
                         trade at Basrah. Mr. Moore would have the East Indian Company enter into
                         a treaty even with that execrable tyrant Meer Mohana, rather than Karim
                         Khan. The essential conditions of any treaty with Karim Khan ought in Mr.
                         Moore’s opinion, be—
                               (а) Military assistance of the Persians in a war to reduce the Kaab.
                               (б) If not—Karim should deliver all Kaab gallivats to the English, got
                                    the Kaab to renounce all pretensions to the territory of Gaban
                                     (Mr. Moore’s letter to Mr. Skipp at Shiraz, dated 14th April
                                    1767, Selections No. CLXF).
                             44?. Karim Khan was prepared to pay the Company 5 laos of rupees as dam­
                         ages for the losses sustained by the English from tho Kaab, and to guarantee
                         that the Kaab gallivats remained inactive and gave no trouble to the trade
                         on the Gulf. He would not object to any English operations against the Kaab,
                         but not with the assistance of the Turks, nor would bo assist them against
                         the Kaab in any active manner. Of course the English had to assist Karim
                         Khan with their fleet against Mcor Mohana, tho cost of tho maintenance
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