Page 366 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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constituted a breach of the maritime truce, having been clcnrly proved, Her
Majesty’s Ship Philomel proceeded with the Residency Agent for tho Arab
Coast to Sicri, and burned the boat of Soif-el-Adham in a public manner.
151. In May 188<1 tho Government A gout reported that a Moolah,
residing at Siiarguh, named Hossein-biu-
Adminiitration T.oport for 1881-35.
Temoom, was busying himself in favour
of tho sot dieant Mahdi of the Soudan, advising tho people of Shargah to join
tho Mahdi at Mecca and causing some exoitemeut amongst them. Tho Agent
was instructed to take no notice of the Moolah’s sayings, but to caution tho
Chief of Shargah that ho would be held responsible for any anuoyanco befall­
ing British subjects ensuing ou such meddlesome attempts at agitation.

(It) PERSIAN ACTIVITY ON THE ARAB COAST, 1887-83: AGREEMENTS OBTAINED
FROJI THE CHIEFS BY THE RESIDENT.
165. The roar 1887-88 was remarkable for attempts made by tho Persian
Government to pursue an aggressive policy in the Persian Gulf especially the
Arab Coast, and assert Persian supremacy to the detriment of the British
preponderance therein.
15G. The leaders of the movement were Amin-es-Sultau, who held tho
reins of Government at Tehran, Sartip Haji Ahmed Khan, for some time a
Deputy Governor of Busliire and Malok-ul-Tujar, a wealthy Persian morchant
at Bushire,and an -Auglophobe fortune-hunter who had hold the customs and
Government of Persian ports for sorno time.
157. In the month of August, whilst engaged in dealing with troublesome
External A, Jane 1SF8, Nos. 5-1 50. disorders in the vicinity of Bahrein, the
External A, Jclv lbfcg, N«>a. 'Jl-l-218. Resident (Colonel R(-ss) received inform­
Gulf Aduiinutnaion U<pwrt for 18s7'S8.
ation th; t the Persian Sartip (General)
Haji Ahmed Khan was about to visit Ahu Thabi and other places on the Pirate
Coast in the Bombay aod Persian Gulf Steaip Navigation Company’s steamer
Culder. Considering the expense entailed by this trip, and the season of the
year at which it was undertaken, the Resident suspected that the object in view
was not, as given out merely to pay a friendly visit to old friends, but must ba
of a more serious and important nature. Tho Residency steamer Lawrence
was despatched with the Pirst Assistant Resident to Ahu Thabi to observe the
movemenlsof the Sartip, and to endeavour to ascertain his purpose. It appeared
that Haji Ahmed Khan landed at Aim Thabi in full unifoim and remained
with tho Chief a few days, after which he wont to Debai, whence he again
returned to Abu 'ihabi and finally sailed in a native vessel to Lingah.
158. The precise nature of Haji Ahmed’s communication to the ’Oman
Chief was not ascertained at the time, the Uaji having obtained promises that
they would not divulge them to the British authorities. The Chief of Debai,
however, whilst adhering to his promise literally, considered himself free to
inform the Sultan of Muskat of Haji Ahmed’s proposals, which were framed
with u view to tho establishment of close political relations between the inde­
pendent Chief of ’Oman and the Persian Government, to the exclusion of the
present predominance of British influence. In whatever quarter tho idea
originated, it is certain that those who were at the time entrusted w ith the reins
of power and practically directed the policy of ' the Persian Government, had
nourished on ambitious dream of replacing British by Persian supremacy over
the shores of islands round the Persian Gulf. The action of certain local
Persian authorities, including Haji Ahmed, was calculated to arouso suspicion
of somo such scheme bi iug afloat, and attention ouce drawn to these proceedings
observation served to establish the correctness of the surmise, alter which the
proceedings of the Persian agents at first puzzling, became intelligible, and
acquired a meaning aod an interest. In the circumstances the Resident deemed
ii prudent and advisable, in order to safeguard our position in relation to the
Trucial Arab Chief of ’Oman, as well as to impress on their minds their own
obligations to the British Government, to obtain from those Chiefs written
assurances of their intention of maintaining tho existing status, which it was
the object of Persian intrigue to disturb. Accordingly all the six Trucial
Chiefs addressed the Resident letters containing assurances to the British
Government that they would neither correspond with, nor form engagements