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»l c (3.) On the 4th September, a batil named Amor fuk, a boat named Sal mail, belong­
ing to the Bazaar Master, and a small pulling boat, manned by about ono hundred and fifty
men, having on board Ali bin lisa bin Tar if, Sayid bin Ahmed (liaznar Master),, and Sultan
bin Salamn, left Bahrein in the morning by the Sheikh’s orders to cruize to Fasht Dibal.
Arriving thero, they proceeded on to lias Ueklian, where they met two boats belonging to
natives of Oman. They hailed them to anchor, but the boats refusing to do so, the Bahrein
boats fired at them, alleging ns an excuse for doing so that they thought they belonged to the
Beni Ilajir tribe. One man in one of (ho boats was shot through the arm. The boats then
stopped, and on the Bahrein boats coming up with them they found that they belonged to tbo
tribe of Z.iid bin Kalifa (of Abnlhabi). Here again the Sheikh’s oxcuso was that his men
bad disobeyed orders. He has agreed to produce the leaders if necessary. *
310. In the letter cited on the margin, Colonel Ross reported the measures
taken to punish these offences. The
Xo.su, dated 3rd November. (Political a, Ja. leaders been lined, compensation had
nwrj 1879, No. 18G.) been ordered for the wounded sailor of
Abuthabi, and a letter of apology sent
from the Chief of Bahrein to the Chief of Abuthabi.
311. The remaining case is that reported in the Resident’s letter No. 200,
dated 27th November 1878, which en­
Political A, January 1879, No. 251.
closes correspondence between Colonel
Boss and Mr. Melvill, acting Commissioner in Sind. Tbo subject is an attack
by pirates about two miles from Katif on two boats—the Harsitigar and
the Fultehkar—belonging to British subjects on their return voyage
from Katif to Kurracheo. The Harbin gar was plundered of about Rs. 200
worth of property: the Futlehkar lost nothing, but was fired into.
Mr. Melvill pressed for redress as the sufferers were British subjects. In reply
Colonel Ross informed him that tbo offenders wore Bedouin Arabs residing
Turkish territory, and that the outrage appeared to have perpetrated
within Turkish territorial waters. The matter had been brought to the notice
to the Turkish authorities through the Political Agent in Turkish Arabia. He
added that the Vulture had already inflicted some punishment on Katif
pirates, and it was hoped that further measures for punishment and com­
pensation would be undertaken by the Turkish authorities.
312. In his letter No. 242, dated 2nd November, Colonel Ross enclosed
Captain Pringle’s reports of the operations of the Vulture against the dhows
of Katif summarized in paragraph 298,