Page 235 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

MUSK AT. 193
treaty touching their demolition was occasioned more by the intrigues
of His Highness than those of Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur.
The people of Makullah having complained to the British Govern­
ment that some aggressions had been committed upon them by the
Imaum’s subjects residing in Soor, the Resident was directed to
inquire into the affair, which was subsequently settled by his Highness
compelling the aggressors to pay 7,000 dollars to the Shaikh of Makullah,
as a compensation for his losses.
In December 1825 the British authority in the Persian Gulf had an
interview with the Imaum, on which occasion His Highness again
complained of fresh aggressions having been committed on his African
territories by English Agents. His Highness likewise intimated, on
the same occasion, that he considered his connection with the British
Government in the light of an offensive and defensive alliance ; and,
further, recommended that a stop should be put to all maritime war­
fare in the Persian Gulf, as the most effectual means of suppressing
piracy.
In the reply to the despatches communicating the above particulars,
the Government directed the Imaum should be informed, that with
reference to Mombassa, His Majesty’s Ministers had determined to drop
all further proceedings in respect to that place. On the subject of the
relations subsisting between His Highness and the British Government,
it was shown, in a detail of considerable length, that although one of the
articles of the Quolnamah or agreement, concluded by Mehedi Ali Khan,
stated that the friends and enemies of the one party stood in a similar
relation to the other; yet that this was merely intended to convey a
general notion of strict friendship, and that it was so com­
pletely contradicted by the other stipulations, and the numerous
communications bearing upon this point subsequently made to His
Highness, as well as by the transactions which had taken place between
the two States since its conclusion, as to make it perfectly evident that
the same understanding of neutrality on both sides in each other’s wars
had been always avowed and acted upon. The plan of insisting on
the maintenance of maritime peace was considered by the Government
as impracticable, even if desirable, on account of the absence of any
means to compel the inhabitants of the Persian Coast to accede to it, as
well as its unequal operation, in increasing the power of the military,
and diminishing that of the naval, tribes on the Arabian side of the Gulf.
Shortly afterwards, the Resident reported that he had had an interview
with Iiis Iiighness, and succeeded in impressing on his mind the true
nature of the amicable relations now subsisting between the two
Governments, and that His Highness had fully acquiesced in the pro­
priety of the views submitted to him.

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