Page 227 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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“ Your Graoo will readily comprehend the difficulty which the continued prcsenco of a
• No. 18, dited 22nd February 1870. TurkiBh naval force would throw in the way of our
„ 28, „ 20th May „ maintaining that position in the Persian Gulf
H 81, n 27th i, ,i which the British Government has, with the best
.. 82, „ Jt7tb i, ii
13, „ 8r-l April 1871. results, como to occupy, and which it is, we are more
,i 14, „ 8rd than ever convinced, our true policy to uphold.
... 20, „ 23rd May „ Our reasons have been fully laid boforo Your Graco
in the despatches marginally * mentioned, to none of which havo we yet been favoured with a
roply; and in viow of the many possible contigencies in tbo neighbouring ports of Asia-' we
oonooive that at no time was the maintenance of our positiou in the Gulf of moro material
importance than at prosont to British interest, to the encouragement of trado, and to the preserva­
tion of the pcaco of the Indian Soas. It would be to us a matter of deep regret that so faithful an
ally sus Turkey, one for the very existence of whose power England has made such sacrifices,
should be the first to take a step calculated to alter a state of things, the maintenance of which
we consider important to the interests of our Indian Empire, and from which, both in a political
and a comraoroial point of viow, tho Porto horeelf has gained, and would continuo to gain, so
much profit without any expense on her part.
u We would, therefore, earnestly impress 6n Her Majesty's Government the necessity of
taking immediate measures to ascertain definitely what is the pnlioy of the Porte with regard
to the Persian Gulf, and whether it is their intention to constitute it for tho futuro ono of
their naval stations- If any such intentions have been formed by the Government of His
Majesty the Sultan, it is, in our opinion, necessary that the ohjeotions whioh we havo stated at
considerable length in our previous despatches should be fully laid before them, and that no
effort should be spared to induce them to abstain from a line of policy the adoption of which
we oould not oontemplato with indifference, and which, we believe, would be injurious to the
be-'t interests of Turkoy herself.”
110. The following statement of the naval strength of the Porte was given to
—On. oorretta. 17 .t K.teof. Colonel Pelly by the Turkish Commodore
a Commodore’* flag »hip corvette, 17 guns, at jn November 1871. Colonel Pelly wrote
** r*on*vreecl, 8 gone, at Bahrein. " The Turkish squadron now in the Gulf th$
** Sabtl oaod M the Pasha's stesmsr. Commodore enumerated as per margin. He added
'• Oloot J| i small light draft stcamcre. that two more corvettes were under orders from
'• Athur
Constantinople f->r the Gulf. Ho mentioned that
r C*irT°"k under order* to Bombay for Bu6reb docks and a powder magazino were being
,l,# r>* constructed for the squadron.”
. 111. Tho Political Agent at Maskat informed Colonel Pelly in September
1871 that he had been told by the Turkish Commodore that in addition to the
Lebanon and Skenderia several more vessels of war would he stationed in the
Pen-ian Gulf; the future strength of the squadron, said the Commodore, would
be 10 vessels. A despatch f was addressed
t No 80, dated 20th Dooembor 1871.
by the Government of India to the Secre­
tary of State urging the advisability of an enquiry through Her Majesty’s
Ambassador as to whether there was any truth iu this statement.
Movements of British vessels.
112. The Government of India was at first disinclined to send a vessel of
war to the Gulf as suggested by Colonel
Secret I., 1871, Noe. 681.665.
Pelly in his telegram dated 11th- April,
the reason being that—
“ If a veaecl were present and the Turka were, without oballonge on our part, to aot against
our views and wishes, this would he equivalent to an abandonment of our policy. 'Whereas
if no vessel be present,.wo are free to act as circumstances require whatever the Turks may do.!*
113. On the 28th April the Bombay Government were asked what men of
war were available for service in Gulf. They replied :—
** The gun-boats Clyde and Hugh Rose in Gulf. Porte left • this 11th April for Aden.
ilqgpie started for Maskat, Mth April. Bullfinch supposed to be at Maskat.”
114. After news had arrived that the Koweit Chief was preparing to aid
the expedition, and it appeared possible
Jtid Nos. 6140, 623 and 2624.
that. complications might arise regarding
Bahrein, a telegram was despatched to the Naval Commander-in-Chief at Aden
to send a vessel of war to Colonel Pejly at Bushire. The Porte with the Com-
mander-in-Ohief had, however, left Aden for Zanzibar, and the Bombay Govern-
ment were desired on the 7th May to send a gun-boat to the Gulf.
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