Page 103 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

PART V—CHAPTER XX.
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CHAPTER XX.
Wreck of the S.S. " Hallamshire" near Ras-el-Had, and the measures
proposed for the prevention of wreckage by the wild tribes on
the Arabian Coasts, 1878.

In the month of January 1878, the British S.S. Hallamshire having strand­
ed on the east coast of Arabia at a spot
Political A., September 1880, Nos. 913-314.
between Ras Rutteh and Ras Reveis
met with but ill concealed hostility from the Arabs, who, there was good reason
to believe, would have gutted the vessel had not the exertions of her crew and
passengers got her off. Several proposals were considered by the Government
of India for preventing wild tribes on the Arab Coast from pillaging wrecks, accord­
ing to their usual custom Their orders and instructions and the several proposals
will be clear from the following letter of theirs to the Political Resident in the
Gulf___________

No. 2565-E.P., dated Simla, the 31st July 1880.
From—A. C. Ltall, Esq., C.B., Secy, to the Govt, of India, Foreign Dept.,
To—Libutbnant-Colonbl E. C. Ross, Political Resident,Persian Gulf.
lam directed to acknowledge your letters No. 44, dated 15th March, and No. 136,
dated nth July 1878, with their enclosures, on the subject of the stranding of the S.S.
Hallamshire on Ras-el-Had, and in reply I am to say that the proceedings of Lieutenant-
Colonel Miles and Captain Dicken on that occasion are entirely approved by the Govern­
ment of India.
2. With regard, however, to the proposal made by Lieutenant-Colonel Miles, in his
memorandum of 26th June 1878, that some definite arrangements should be made with
the coast tribes for the protection of wrecks, 1 am directed to forward, for your informa­
tion, copy of a letter* from the Resident at
• No. 235-1462, dated and November 1878. Aden, in which he describes the practice in
regard to the salvage of wrecks in the neighbourhood of that port, and comments on
Lieutenant-Colonel Miles’ suggestions. The Government of India agree with General
Loch that, as the Chiefs, where indeed any recognised Chiefs are to be found, possess very
little real control over their tribesmen, it is not advisable to enter into agreements with
them for the protection of wrecks, which, in all probability, they would be unable to
carry out. Owing, too, to the great dissimilarity, in the circumstances of different wrecks,
and in the amount of protection and assistance required, it also seems undesirable to lay
down any hard-and-fast system of shares on account of salvage, such as that described by
Lieutenant-Colonel Miles in the concluding paragraph of his memorandum.
3. Under these circumstances, it appears to the Government of India that the only
feasible system of enlisting the good-will and interest of the tribes in the business of
saving life and property from wrecks is that described in paragraphs 13 and 14 of General
Loch’s letter, via., that the Government should give suitable and liberal presents in each
case according to its merits. The Political Agent should, as far as possible, keep up a
constant and friendly communication with the tribes along the coast, who should be
distinctly made to understand that in every case of a British vessel being wrecked, if
kindness is shown to the crew, and wreck and cargo are protected, th«* British Govern­
ment will remunerate them, otherwise they will, if possible, be punished. General Loch
is also of opinion that it would have a very good effect if, on every occasion of a wreck
taking place, a man-of-war were despatched to the spot.
4. It is not, however, intended that this system of rewards should be of universal
application. The Political Agent will, of course, use his influence on every occasion to
ensure the good behaviour of the tribes; but the Government of India are not prepared to
remunerate the Chiefs out of Indian revenues for other than wrecks of British vessels.
So, too, even with regard to British wrecks, reward should be paid with discrimination and
only in important cases. Owners and masters of vessels should, as far as possible, be
encouraged to pay their own salvage by allowing the salvors a share of the property
saved, as is done in the neighbourhood of Aden. But the amount of this share cannot be
fixed beforehand, and each case must be decided on its merits. It is believed that if once
the relations between the Political Agent and the Chiefs are placed on a thoroughly friend­
ly footing, and if the Chiefs are taught by experience the danger of indiscriminate plunder­
ing, there will probably be no difficulty in inducing both them and the owners and
masters of vessels to agree to terras that will be fair and equitable to both parties.
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