Page 266 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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If the presence of an excessive Turkish force requires tho Indian Government to increase
tho British forcoin the Gulf, tho Native mind will sco in the latter an encouragement, not
only to resist, but to thwart tho Porto, and things will go on from bad to worse, till at last,
even in the admitted Turkish districts, a general feeling of uneasiness will bo produced, and
will cost the Porte more to subdue or mitigate than tho country is worth.
I havo, therefore, to iustruct Your Lordship, while expressing to tho Porto the views of
Her Majesty's Government on this point, to stato that they will gladly uso their good offices
to restore peace and bring matters to a uormal stato of tranquillity."
259. The British Ambassador reported tho action taken by him in bis des­
patch No. Gl, dated 23rd June 1S72 :—
“ I communicated to Server Pasha Your Lordship's despatch, No. 20, of the 6th instant,
and pointed out to him bow important it was that the Porte should not go on increasing its
armaments in the Persian Gulf, so as to disquiet the neighbouring countries, and to oblige Iler
Majesty’s Government to take counteracting steps to reassure the public miud.
Server Pasha repeated the assurance, already so often given, of the absence of all intention
on the part of the Porto of doing moro than re-establish their legitimate authority in those
districts, where their right was undisputed, adding that Her Majesty’s Government might be
satisfied that since the recall of Midhut Pasha, there would ho less than ever a disposition to
extend the field of operations.
"With regard to tho presence of a large Turkish force in the Persian Gulf, His Excellency
tbought.IIcr Majesty’s Government must lie under some misapprehension it being in reality of
Tery insignificant proportions, amounting in all to four ships-ot-war, of which two are ordered to
Constantinople to refit.
The other vessels arc hired transports, that had been taken up for the conveyance of the
troops sent to the Nejd.
Server Pasha showed himself very sensible of the indisposition evinced by Her Majesty’s
Government to embarrass the position of affairs in the Gulf by -sending a counteracting force
and I pointed out that, if he wished this forbearance to continue, the Porte must give
evidence of an intention of allowing things there to resume their normal state.
I did not, however, elicit from him any intimation of a willingnoss to accept the proferred
good offices of Her Majesty’s Government in restoring peace, but I will revert to the question
when His Excellency has had the opportunity of mentioning it to the Grand Vizier, without
whose sanction he is cautious of expressing any opinion on a matter of importance.”
2G0. The Turkish vessels shown in the statement below were seen on the
•Persian Gulf in 1874, which are not mentioned in the statement ante:—