Page 102 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part IV—Chap. XXIII. 80

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE MASKAT RESIDENCY, 1S01—1S09-ABOLISIIED IN 1S09.
Con to!idat ion of 189. Wo have soon in the Selections from the Bombay Records, 1600—1800,
tA« Residencies
at Maskat and that tho treaty concluded by General Malcolm in ItoOO with the Imam of
Bushire. Mnskat provided for the appointment of an agent at that place. Mr. Bogle
was tho first Agent appointed, hut he died by the end of tho year. Captain Bavid
Seton took his place, but was appointed to some other agoncy in tho Bombay
Presidency in 1804. In 1805 ho was sent again to Maskat in pursuance of tho
instructions of tho Government of India (see paragraph 86 above). Lieutenant
Watts was appointed to act for Captain Seton in 1808, hut died on September
the same year.
Poblio Dept. 190. A malignant fover carried off Captain Seton in August 1809
Diary No. 339 of
1809 and No. 341 to the sinoere regret of Government and all who know his worth. There
of 1809, p. 9103. arrived at Maskat soon after His Majesty’s ship The Caroline, and on Captain
Gordon being apprized of tho sad event by the broker and consulted with
respect to the Company’s property, ho appointed one of the officers of the ship
Isaac Roberts to take temporary charge of the Residency. Mr. Bunce was
appointed by tho Bombay Government to succeed the late Captain Seton.
Poll. Dept. Diary 191. Mr. Bunoe died at Maskat, in December 1809. It was thought that
No. 360 of 1810,
pp. 117 and 372. English constitutions were unequal to withstand the baneful effects of the
climate at Maskat, and Government had to decide to stop sending anymore
British officers as Residents at that place and to place Maskat under tbe
supervision of tho Resident at Bushire, Mr. Hankey Smith. The following
letter, dated 13th January 1810, to tho address of Lord Minto expresses the
views of the Bombay Government (Mr. Duncan, etc.) on the matter and the
arrangements they made for reconstructing the Bushire Residoncy:—
We have the honour to transmit, for the decision of Your Lordship, the accompanying
copy of a letter addressed to us by Brigadier-General Malcolm, under date the 7th instant,
stating the circumstances that render it, in his opinion, highly expedient, under the present
and prospective state of tho Gulph of Persia, to consolidate the Residencies of Bushire and
Muscat iu the person of Mr. N. H. Smith, inclusive of the considerations that make it desir­
able that Mr. Smith should in this capacity proceed immediately to join tho armament, and
conduct tho negotiations that may bo expected to be entered into with the piratical Chief­
tains, on the termination of the present service in that quarter.
2. Having no reason to doubt that the view, which Brigadier-General Malcolm ha*
taken of the local circumstances of the Residencies of Muscat and Bushire, will meet with the
entire concurrence and approbation of Your Lordship, that officer has been accordingly informed
that this Government will have no objection to his authorizing Mr. Smith to extend his
political superintendence as Resident to the affairs of Muscat, pending the final arrangement
which may be, in that respect, deemed advisable, after the return of the armament, now
in the Gulph, with the information thereon expeoted from the Commander?, in pursuance of
♦the 14th paragraph of their instructions dated the 7th of September 1809, as to any situation
more salubrious thau Muscat, for the permanent or occasional abode of a British Resident, or
of an assistant as such, in the probable event of the Generals’ suggestions on that head being
sanctioned by Your Lordship.
3. It is our intention, under an anticipation of Your Lordship’s sanction and in further
immediate prosecution of the plan, to furnish Mr. Smith with two Civil Servants, as assistants,
to he stationed where he may think fit and with such allowances as shall be deemed suitable
to their stations; and we shall also consult with our Superintendent of the Marine ns to
the most available means of placing a cruizer at the disposal of the Resident, as frequently as
the general exigencies of the service may admit.
4. In the event of Your Lordship in Coancil adopting the arrangement recommended by
Brigadier-General Malcolm, we beg leave to request that the line may be distinctly drawn
with respect to the degree of subordination in which Mr. Smith (as the Hon’ble Company s
General Agent iu the Gulph of Persia) may 6tand in relation to tho Presidency, both in his
Political and Commercial capacities, we offer this suggestion from the experience we have hag
• Vide paragraph 126 of this Prdcis abovo.