Page 106 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

64 BRITISH POLICY IN THE PERSIAN GULF.

years sufficed to show that a respectable naval force was fully compot
to all the objects in view, and the military detachment was there fo**
withdrawn to Bombay; and the head quarters of the Indian Naval
Squadron, after continuing some lime at Mogoo, was, in consequence
of the jealousy of the Persian Government, removed to Bassadorc, a more
unhealthy station, but possessing the superior advantage of a spacious
and excellent harbour.
During the first few years subsequent to the date of the formation of
this Treaty,* it was not considered advisable or expedient to hold its
conditions so strictly binding as their import and wording admitted.
War at sea, if previously proclaimed, was consequently not precluded
to the subscribers.
The sentiments of Government on this point were at the time thus
expressed :—“ Our relations to the Arab States afforded no grounds for
interference to restrain their mutual attacks. It is true that Article IV.
of Sir W. Grant Keir’s Treaty mentions peace among themselves as one
of the alterations in the condition of the Arabs introduced by that
engagement, but this appears to have been rather an explanation of the
intention of the flag, than any distinct stipulation ; and it was explained
by Sir W. Grant Keir, in the 7th paragraph of his letter accompanying
the Treaty, to have been designed, among other purposes, to demon­
strate our determination not to interfere with the petty feuds of the
subscribing powers, while they continued to observe the stipulations of
the Treaty. In these circumstances, Government could scarcely
pretend to the power of imposing any restraint on the motions of vessels
intended for a purpose of lawful warfare.”
The total cessation of warfare at sea was nevertheless anxiously
desired by most of the chieftains, and many indeed themselves enter­
tained the belief that it was thus provided in Article IV. of the Treaty.
From the foregoing extract, however, it is seen that the Government
was not prepared at that time to take upon itself the responsibility
which such a line of policy must have entailed, in the investigation
and settlement of such endless complaints and claims, and the redress
of such grievances as must in that case have been referred to it for
arbitration and decision ; and the following explanation of this Article
was accordingly given by Major Wilson to Shaikhs Sultan bin Suggur,
Abdoolla bin Ahmed, and others, on their expressing their conviction
that it involved a total prohibition of hostilities.
. Grant
* The irregular habits of the Arabs rendered it necessary, in the opinion of Sir W
Keir, that the Treaty concluded by him should not be strictly enforced for a con si era. e
period after it was concluded. The numerous petty wars between the different C ic s o
Gulf rendered it at all times difficult to distinguish in that sea between acts o piracy
operations of lawful warfare.