Page 490 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

12 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

vessels is still under consideration. Three slaves took refuge in the Bushire
Residency, of which one was manumitted, while the claims of the other two are
still under consideration.
11.—PIRACY.
Throe acts of piracy in the mouth of the Shat«ol-Arab took place in May.
The victims were Kowait boats, from one of which goods and cash to the
extout of Kran9 17,000 (equivalent to about R9. 5,500) were oarried off and a
member of the crew was killed.
In September when the Lawrence was in the Shat-ol-Arab, information
of an act of piracy on the high seas, near the entrance of the river, was
received. The pirates were captured and were made over to the Persian
authorities, all the parties being Persian subjeots. The pirates received six
mouths’ imprisonment, and their boats and effects wore sold, the proceeds
being handed over to the injured persons who had been badly wounded.
An outward bound Kutcli sailing boat was attacked and plundered in the
Shat-el-Arab in December between Fao and Mohammerah. Two of the orew
were killed.
12.—ROYAL NAVY.
During the early part of the year Her Majesty’s steamer the Sphinx,
Commander Baker, was the only man-of-war in the Gulf. In June, the
Pigeon, Lieutenant-Commander Mowbray, passed up the Gulf to Basrah,
where she remained almost continuously till December when she proceeded to
the Makran Coast, and landed a party who took part in the expedition made
with the object of investigating Mr. Graves’ murder. The Pigeon was
subsequently put on duty connected with the suppression of the traffic in
arms, and eventually went to Bombay. The Sphinx as usual went to Maskat
and Ras-al-Had for the summer, and ia November left the Gulf for Bombay,
where she remained, undergoing annual repairs, till January 1898.
Besides the Sphinx and the Pigeon., the Cossack, Commander Fraser,
the Redbreast, Commander Martin, and the Lapwing, Lieutenant-Commander
Carr, were employed at various limes during the winter on duties under the
general direction of the Resident in the Persian Gulf. The Lapwing, as already
noticed in this report, effected the capture of the arms and ammunition on
board the Baluchistan, and has in consequence been almost entirely employed
in the neighbourhood of Maskat, outside the actual limits of the Persian
Gulf.
13.—OFFICIAL CHANGES.
Colonel F. Wilson was Resident and Consul-General up to the 10th June,
when I relieved him. Lieutenant C. Ducat was First Assistant Resident up
to the 17th July, when he left Bushire to take up an appointment in India.
Lieutenant F. B. Prideaux arrived at Bushire on 21st August. Mr. J. C. Gaskin
held charge of the duties of First Assistant between the departure of Lieutenant
Ducat and. Lieutenant Prideaux’-s arrival.

14.—OBSERVATORY.
The result of the daily observations are recorded in a Tabular Statement
marked Appendix A.
M. J. MEADE,
Offg. Political Resident, Persian Gulf.