Page 221 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

The General Treaty with Britain, 1820 211
148 Tart V-Chap. XXXVI.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

REMOVAL OF Mr. BRUCE AND APPOINTMENT OF LIEU­
TENANT MacLEOD AS RESIDENT AT BUS1IIRE. INS­
TRUCTIONS TO THE NEW RESIDENT AS TO THE
BRITISH POLICY IN THE GULF—N0VEMBER 1822.
291. After tlio recent unathorized proceedings of Mr. Bruce, especially in
connection with tho troaty concluded by
Volume 91 of 1822, page 358.
him with tho Shiraz Government, Gov­
ernment had, as wo have seen, to removo him from tho Itosidoncy aud
appointed in bis place Lieutenant John McLeod, who had boon omployod in
various capacities in tho recent expeditions on the Gulf. The instructions
issued to him by the Bombay Government as to tho liuo of policy to be followed
by him on their letter No. 1084, dated 12th Novcmbor 1822, is an important
dooument and printed thoreforo at length below
Tbo Honourable the Governor in Council having boon under tho necessity of ronvwing
Captain lirucofrom tbo situation of Resident at Bushiro, for tbo reasons stntod in the enclosed
copy of a correspondence with that oflicer, line boon pleased to folocfc you to succeed Captain
Druco under tho designation of Rosidont in tbo Gulf of Persia.
2. In furnishing you with tbo ueceesary instructions for tho regulation of your conduct,
it is necessary to promiso that they embrace two objects; one, immediate, arising out of the
effeot to be apprehended from Captain Bruce's unauthorized proceedings, and tbo othor of a
pormanont nature oonneot»*d with your ollico of Rcsidont and tbo maintenance of tbo polioy
wbioh it Imb beon dotormiuod to pursue with tbo viow of keeping down piracy in tho Persian
Gulf.
3. Tho powers whoso roliance on our good faith arc likoly to bo shaken and their alnrma
oxoited, by tho ngroomeot outered into by Captain Bruce, are tho Imam of Mnskat and the
Uttubi tribe of Arabs in gcnorol, and especially the Shnik of Bahrein, an island whioh it
has been an objeot equally with Persia and the State of Maskat to rcduco and annox to its
sovereignty, whilst a considerable degree of jealousy in establishing an ascondency over the
Poraian Gulf baa long subsisted botween those two Powore.
4. Tho offoub of Captain Bruce’s proceedings ia calculated to impress tho Imam of
Maskat and the Shaik of Bahrein with an approbonsion that, instead of observing a perfect
neutrality in the Out/, and limiting our interference to a control of all measure* likely to lead
to a renewal of piracy foundod on Major-Goneral Sir William Kicr’s treaties, we havo
thrown our wholo influence iu tho scalo in lavor of Poreia in support of its general viows of
supromaoy over ovory island nnd possession iu tho Gulf of Persia.
5. Tho onolosod lottcre from the Honourable tbo Governor to tbo Imam of Maskat nnd
tbo Shaikh of Bahroin aro intonded to remove any doubts or apprehensions whioh tho conduct
of Captain Bruco may have excited iu that respect, it will bo your duty to onforoe on tho
conviction of those Chiofs tho assurances coutaincd in those letters ; and of tho determination
of tho British Government strictly to adhoro to the lino of polioy it has observed in its
relatione towards tho different powers in tho Gulf, unnffeoted, in tho slighest dogree, by
Captain Bruco's agreement which having beou unauthorized and disavowed ha9 of course uo
eiislonce.
0. You will also oxplain to them that our views are not at all changed by withdrawing
our troops from Kishm which is to be restored to the Imam of Maskat as the power with
whose permission we occupied it,
7. Tbo Govornor in Council anticipates your exporioncing a groator degreo of difficulty
in roraoving tho diseati6faotion of tho Prinoo of Sepiruz in tho disavowal of an agreement so
decidedly favourable to Porsia than you will moot with iu rcoonciliug tho Imam of Maskat
and the Shaik of Bahroin to tho integrity of our viows.
8. Should you find His lloyal Highness at all disappointed at our disavowal of Captain
Bruoo's agenoy on this oocaeion, you will express your regret that His Itoyal Highness did
uot demaud from that officer his authority for proposing an ngreeraont so muoh at varinnoo
with our polioy bofore ho dircotod his toiuister to outer into tho negotiation. You will rofor to
tho wholo tenor of oyr communications to tho Poreian Government and of our conduot sinco
tho oooupation of Kidira and our negotiations with tho Arab States for proof that the
permanent suppression of piracy, and the conservation of the peace of the Oulflythe
friendly interposition of our power and influence^ has been alone the ruling principle of that