Page 40 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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“These operations appear, with one partial exception, to have been most successful, and
havo, moreover, been executed with a care for the lives and property of non-combatants, which
refleot great credit on Captain Pasley and all employed.
"While lamenting the loss of the brave men who wore killed at Dcranum, I would oxpress
our sincero admiration of the gallantry displayed by Lieutenant Long and the whole party
engaged, and particularly of those who arc named by tlwir Commanding Officer, as worthy of
special mention.
" Lieutenant Colonel Pelly is of opinion that it will be necessary to return to Demautn
with the means of battering it from a raft.
"Put before making any fresh attempt of the kind it will be well to ascertain from tbo
Resident what has been the effect of tbo operations already carried out ? It appears that after
the expiration of tho term fixed by Colonol Felly in his demand on tho Wahabis for satisfac­
tion, several Wahabi war-buggalow6 and the tower of Burj Bullif, commanding one entranco
to tbo harbour of Kbatiff, were destroyed, and tho fort of Dcmaum itself was plied with shot,
shell and rockets to an extent which must have made a considerable impression on the garrison^
and probably removed any notion they may have entertained as to their power to resist any
attack which.might be made on it with an adequate force. It will be well to ascertain the
total effect of all these operations before undertaking any thing further against the fort of
Demaum which seems in itself to be of little importance.
"I would propose, therefore, to ask the Commodore to visit Maskat before the season for
active operations iu the Gulf draws to a close, taking with him any part of his squadron whioh
can be spared from other service, and that ho should confer with Lieutenant-Colonel Pelly,
who will, by that time, have ascertained the general effect on the Wahabis and the littoral
Arabs, of the whole serios of operations, including those which may have been undertaken by
His Highness the Imam by land. Should it appear that sufficient has been done for this
season, no furthor operations against Khatif will bo necessary, if otherwise, the Commodore
will be in a position to decide what may be possible and necessary to secure, at least for the
current season, the peace of the Maritime tribes of the Gulf, and the safety of the British
subjects residing amongst them.
. " Since Colonel Pelly wrote, he will have received the instructions of the Governor
General in Council as contained in Mr. Secretary Muir's letter of the 21th January last,
No. 60, which express the opinion of the Viceroy that it would be inexpedient to press the
Wahabi Amir for compensation for any loss which British subjects may have incurred
during the late hostilities between the Wahabis aud the subjects of Maskat. Moreover, the
damage inflicted on the Wahabis and Surees by tbo Highflyer in destroying their towers and
war-buggalows will apparently at least equal the value of what our subjects wero supposed to
have lost.
“I would submit these remarks with Colonel Pell’y despatches to tho Govornor General
in Council, and inform His Excellency that we propose requesting the Commodore to sail as
soon as he considers expedient, and that we hold at his disposal, if he thinks they can be useful,
the gun-boats or material for a raft or any other munitions which the Dockyard may afford,
and which he may think necessary for the use of our squadron, or useful to our allies in
further operations on the Arabiau Coast. The Commodore’s instructions from the Admiralty
preclude his undertaking any hostile operations except under written intimation of the
Governor General’s wishes.
" I do not, however, anticipate that it will be found possible or necessary to undertake
further operations on the Pirate Coast this season.
,f It may be well to note as our reason for not asking tho Commodore to await at Bom­
bay the reply of tho Governor-General in Council, that the summer is I believe the time
of Pearl-fishing, when the evil-disposed among the littoral Arabs aro most apt to be trouble­
some, but our men-of-war cannot, without the most urgent necessity, undertake active
operations in the Gulf at that season, and, therefore, if it should appear to be absolutely
necessary to do anythiug for the protection of British subjects or property, before the warm
weather sets in, there is no time to be lost.
" At Musscndom the Commodore will bo able to learn the wishes of the Governor
General in Council by telegram.” •
108. In a letter written to Government by Commodore Hillyar on reooiv-
L*itcr from Commc^oro Uiityar. with .ccom- iug Captain Pasloy’s report of the pro-
paoimenU, dated tho 20th February 18GG. ceedingS of tbo Highflyer ill the Gulf,
he remarked on the apparent want of consideration shewn by tho Resident in
not proceeding himself to aid in a service which called for local knowledge and
experience such as a Native Agent could not bo well expected to supply* On
this point the Governor in Council observed in reply
"Colonel Pelly was alone, with an European Political Officer or Assistant, and tbo
necessity for his remaining to urge the Maskat authorities to effioiont action had no douut
prevented him from going up the Gulf with the Uighflyer. In deputing his Nativo Agont