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                  358                        Records of Bahrain
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                   boarded. Colonel Pclly had an interview with
                   Hnjee Abd Alee, her chief passenger, who intimated
                   that lie was the bearer of a dress of honour and of
                  a letter from the Prince Governor of Pars to
                  Mahomed bin Abdullah, who had recently usurped
                   the Government of Bahrein; and of letters to the
                   same person from Mirza Mchdce Khan, an ctnployd
                   of the Persian Foreign Office. Me said that he
                   himself was in no way accredited by the Persian
                   Government; that Mchdce Khan had orders from
                   the Prince of Pars to go as Envoy to Bahrein: but
                   had deputed him to go in his stead.
                     “Two days after the interview Ilajcc Abd Alec
                   asked.leave to make over his letters to Colonel
                   Pclly, who refused to accept them until he received
                   instructions from the Indian Government, lie
                   accordingly referred the matter to the Government
                   of Bombay, who directed him by telegraph to take
                   possession of the letters. Colonel Pclly then look
                   the letters, and Mahomed bin Abdoollah surren­
                   dering shortly afterwards, he delivered them to that
                   Chief, at their first interview, in the same condition
                   as they had been made over to himself. The latter
                   perused the letters and then gave them lo Colonel
                   Pclly. The delivery of the letters to Mahomed
                   bin Abdoolah was formally announced to Hajee
                   Abd Alee, and he was informed that, as the
                   blockade was raised, he was at liberty to depart.
                     “ The Persian Government, in making their com­
                   plaint against Colonel Pclly, ignored the following
                   facts:—
                     “ 1st. That the vessel boarded by Colonel Polly
                   was attempting to break a blockade of which notice
                   had been duly given at Tehran.
                     ‘“2nd. That the messenger, when questioned,
                   denied being in any way an Envoy accredited by
                   the Shah.
                     “3rd.- That the letters were delivered by Colonel
                   Pclly to the person to whom they were addressed
                   in exactly, the same condition as they were made
                   over to that officer.”
                     Lord Clarendon, however, wrote the following
                   Minute on the docket of Mr. Thomson’s dispatch,
                   *< X cannot understand the rights of *his matter."
                      On the 27th June a further batch of printed India Office, Juno 22, 1870.
                   papers, relating to Colonel Polly’s proceedings ut
                    Bahrein, was received from the India Office; upon
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