Page 213 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

The General Treaty with Britain, 1820 203
ns Tnrt V—Cliap. XXVIII.

CHAPTER XXVIII.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SECURITY IN THE
. GULF: PROPOSED BRITISH SETTLEMENT IN THE GULF.
REMOVAL OF THE BRITISH DETACHMENT FROM RAS-UI-
KIIIMA TO THE ISLAND OF KISIIM, 1820.

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235. Tho attention of tho Government having been directed to a consi­
deration of tho ullimnto arrangomonta
Volume 62-49 of 1820-1821.
tliat it might bo necessary to malco for tho
purposo of maintaining tho security of the navigation of tho Porsinn Gulf on
the termination of tho oxpodition, thoy were desirous of availing thomsoivos of
tho professional exporiouco of Sir William ICoir, and addrossod him thoreforo
tho following communication on the 28th October 1819 :—
"Tho attention of tho Right Honourable tho Govornor in Council having boon diroclcd to a
consideration of tho ultorior nrrnngomout which it may bo nocessary to form for tho purpose
of maintaining tho security of tho navigation of tho Gulf, on tho termination of tho present
expedition, is desirous of availing hiinsolf of your profoBsioual experionco in tho docisiou of
the important question.
Tho Govornor in Couucil is satisfied that (ho object tlms contomplatcd cannot, from the
distracted slate in whioh the Gulf has so long continued, arising out of tho dcolinc of
tho iulluonco of tboso authorities which formerly cxorcisod a control ovor it and of tho
ascendancy of tho Powor whoso avowed viows havo been tho pro6eoution of pirncy, bo
nttaiuod without tho interposition of tho British Government in a moro nctivo degree than
it has hithorlo boon our poliey to ndopt.
As a incasuro tho most offcctually oonduoivo to tho pormanont suppression of piracy on
tho Persian Gulf, tho occupation by the British Government of a central and commanding
situation appears to bo indispousnblo; nor is tho Govornor in Counoil nwaro of n more
eligiblo station than tho Islnnd of Kishm for that purposo, upon whioh, bowovor, your opiniou
is desired.
Tho next objoot for consideration is tho formation of an establishmont in the most
economical acalo, under a prospect of deriving from tho oustoms of the port n revenuo
sufficient for its support, which under tho arrangement tho trade would experience from the
British protoctiou might bo cxpcolcd.
Tho transfer of tlio Residency from Bushiro to tho now station would supply all that
appears to bo essential to tlio political branch of the establishment, and the mnintoiianco of
tho same number of oruizors aud tho prusonoo of ono of Mia Majesty's ships of war as havo
boon for somo time back kept in tlio Gulf, would furnish a maritime forco without any
enhancement of tho oxponsc, whioh has boon hitherto inorcascd for tho security of its navi­
gation.
Tho faotory was originally established at Bushiro to promote tho vend of British goods in
tho intorior of Porsia hy largo consignments from Bombay. Tlio moro successful raodo how-
ovor in whioh tho vond has boon premotod within tboso fow years baolc by periodical 6alo at tho
Residency has entirely superseded the necessity for continuing a commercial factory at Bu shire,
whilo whatoyor political advantages may bo connected with our possessing an establishment
in tlio Porsinn dominions, independently of that whioh is maintained by IIi8 Majesty’s
Govommont at Tehran for tho protection of tho commercial intorcst of this country and for
preserving tho political relations whioh liavo for so long n period subsisted bctwcon tho Indian
and tlio Persian Governmonts, could he secured more ejfeclually probably at such an Island as
Atshm as at Bushiro.
lho only additional oxpnmo thoro to which tho British Government would bo exposed by
tlio trausfor of tho^Bushiro Rosidenoy to a moro commanding situation in tlio Gulf would
nnso only of Inn military oatablishinont which it would bo necessary to maintain oither at
not iml to boar in mind that our security will principally dopend, tlio moro especially if nn
JlUqu bo solcctcd for tho now ostoblishinout upou our mariliaio foroo, *