Page 255 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

THE ENGLISH IN THE PERSIAN GULF 255

created for us that direct interest in the Persian Gulf which
some Continental diplomats at this very time are compelled
to take into serious account in prosecution of their plans of
commercial and political development in the East. All
credit, therefore, to the gallant Blyth and his excellent
colleague Weddell, who in the true spirit of patriotic enter­
prise went into this difficult venture on their own initiative,
and who, by their energy and skill, carried it to a successful
conclusion at a loss of no more than twenty English lives.

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