Page 115 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part V—Chap. XXV. 93

CHAPTER XXV.

EXPEDITION PROPOSED AGAINST THE PIRATICAL
STRONGHOLDS IN THE PERSIAN GULF. CAPTAIN
SADLEIirS MISSION TO IBRAHIM PASHA OF EGYPT.
THE LINE OF POLICY LAID DOWN, 1819.
199. The piratical enterprises of the Joasmi tribes and other Arab tribeB
in the Gulf had becomo so extensive and attended by so many atrocities on
peaceful traders, that the Government of India at last determined that an
expedition on a much larger and comprehensive scale than ever done before,
should be undertaken for the destruction of the maritime force of these piratical
tribes on the Gulf and that a new policy of bringing the tribes under British
control should be inaugurated. A squadron of 6hips was accordingly placed
under the orders of Captain Collier and a military force of about 8,000 men
under the command of Major-General Sir William Grant Keir to proceed to the
Gulf in order to carry out the object of extirpating piracies and taking the
necessary measures for preventing their recurrence.
200. An important part of the scheme was that the British forces should
co-operate with the forces of Ibrahim
Co-operation qf Ibrahim Pasha sought.
Pasha of Egypt, who had been carrying on
war against the Wahabis and had captured Deriah. It was supposed that
Ibrahim Pasha having conquered the tribes on the coast of El Hasa would
welcome British co-operation to conquer the tribes on the Pirate Coast. With
a view to negotiate the necessary arrangements for this purpose Captain G. F.
Sadleir was deputed with despatches of the Governor-General and the Governor
of Bombay (Sir E. Nepean) to Ibrahim Pasha.
201. It was even contemplated to place Bas-ul-Khima and other places
on the Pirate Coast under the Turkish Government when conquered, as appears
from the following extract from the Bombay Government’s instructions to
Captain Sadleir, dated 13th April 1819:—
“If, as moBt probably will be the case, His Excellenoy Ibrahim Pasha should be desirous
of availing himself of tho aid of the British Government, lie will of course communicate freely
with you on the plans he may have in contemplation, and you are authorized to assure "His
Excellenoy that as soon after the termination of the monsoon as may be favourable for
ombarking operations from hence, we shall be prepared to send an adequate naval and
military force to the Gulf of Persia, for tho purpose of co-operating with His Excellenoy in
the reduction of Ra6-ul-Khiraa, wbioh will afterwards be delivered over to be garrisoned by
the Turkish troops, provided Hie Excellency shall allot a competent force to the service of
covering the siege.”
202. It was also thought necessary to obtain the co-operation of the Imam
of Maskat in the crusade against the
Co-operation qf Imam of Maskat.
pirates. Captain Sadleir visited the Imam
at Maskat to sound him in the matter. But Seyyid Said was found to be
opposed to have anything to do with
Captain Sadleir s letter, dated 15th May 1819.
Ibrahim Pasha, he evidently apprehended
that the Egyptian occupation of the Pirate Coast would be menace to his own
independence. His Highness said that he bad occasion to write to Ibrahim
Pasha respecting Bahrein; but that as he had not received an answer, he
presumed that it was as nocessary in all cases to await a reply from a reference
to Mahomed Ali Pasha, as Ibrahim Pasha could not act in those matters
without orders; that the delay would certainly exceed the period fixed for the
sailing of the expedition. The Imam further made it dear that he could not
allow hia troops to associate on shore in concert with the Turkish army: He
assured Captain Sadleir that he would accompany the expedition and embark
3,000 troops to act in conjunction with the British foroe, but on condition that
they should not be called upon to act in the interior in conjunction with Turks.
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