Page 132 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

110 Part V- Chap. X'XVII.

agitated, until ho should reach Maskofc ; ns ho wiehod for time to consider whether it would be
necessary to troublo tho Government with such a reference. Ilia Highness proceeded to
Mnskot tho next day nnd has left mo impressed with tho belief tlmtlio menus to mnko an
attack upon .Bahrein without permitting tho Government of Shiruz to share in the succor bu
anticipates, from tho impression mado by his having been admitted to a strict co-operation
with n British force still in tho Gulph. That tho Priuco of Shiraz dreads a proceeding of
this kind on tho part of tho Imaum, and is likewise uneasy, respecting tho futuro movements
of this force, is apparently from tho great dosiro ho has shewn to possess him6elf of tho
Imaura’s ships; nnd his having givou tho pledge required by Min Fl ighness as well ns tho
promise that his oxpensos shall bo reimbursed, this polioy on tho part of tho Prince will
probably embarrass the Imaum considerably.
31. Tho letter from tho Priuco of Shiraz, of which tho accompanying is a translation,
reached mo on tho 9th instant, nnd a translation of my reply to it is now forwnrdod ; it jg
hardly to be supposed tho Prince could hnvo expected ; that his request to have four or five
ships for the purposo of conveyiug his army to Bahrein would ho comp'ied with, it wai
probably urged with tho view of calling forth somo reply from which ho could form a judg­
ment of whnt the viows of the British Govcrnmont wero respecting that island, or conjecture
tho futuro operations of this force.
32. It will bo observed that tho Princo abstains entirely from alluding in any mnnnor to
tho.determination announoed in Sir Evan Nopean’s lettor that tho expedition should visit
cortaiu places on tho Persian Coast for tho purpose of destroying the piratical vessels that
might be in them, but the Euvoy Mirza Mahomed Banker mado many enquiries respecting
my intentions when I should proceed there. To these enquiries I replied by n rcfeionce to
Sir Evan Nepean's lotter nbovo alluded to.
33. I tako this opportunity of noticing that I have understood from Captain Bruce, the
Resident of Bushire, that thero is an article in the last treaty betwixt tho Persian and the
British Governments which precludes tho latter from holding possession of any of the islands
in the Gulphs ; Captain Bruce spoko from recollection not having a copy of tho treaty along
with him,
34. Being anxious to reduce the expenses of the armament as much as possible, I have
availed mysolf of tho opportunity arising from the appointment of a garrison to Kasbulkhiraa
to effret a new distribution of tho troops and stores by which I have found myself onubled to
dispense with fifteen hundred and four tous of the most expensive vessels which me as
follows:—
The Patcoa of 732 tons that sailed on the 6th instant having on hoard the wounded of
tho foroe on which account she was directed to touch at Maskat. Thu Angelica of 856
tons that will bo ready to sail about the 17th instant, she likowiso will touch at Maskat, and
the Orpheus of 41G tons that couveys this despatch direct to Bombay.
35. On the two last mentioned 6hip will proceed all the sick of the forces who are not
likely to become effective during the remainder of tho service.
36. When these ships shall have arrived at Bombay, Government will be able to determine
whether or not it will be expedient to discharge them, but evon in tho e'ont of the Honourable
Board deciding to retain them, they are more serviceable under their present destination than
if they had remained here where their services can be dispensed with.
87. The general re-establishment of confidence and tranquillity has affordod a favourable
opportunity to the prisoners taken at Zayab, and 1 feel considerable gratification in being at
so early a period enabled to give effect to a measure which was called for by every considera­
tion of policy and humanity.
38. The important change which has takeu place in our relations with the Arab Chief
since the fall of Zayah has entirely superseded the necessity of continuing these people any
longer under restraint. Even their eumity can be productive of no bad consequences at the
preseut period, whilst the conciliation of the Chief which appears the most probable effect of
placing him on a footing with the other Sheikhs, who by a timely submission alone escaped
the humiliation he had suffered will tend materially to consolidate the arrangements which
have so happily beeu effected.
39. I am confident therefore, in taking this step for whioli Government will bo prepared
by the 16th paragraph of my last despatch, I shall only anticipate its pleasure, and it is
fortunate that the policy and humanity of this measure coincide even with the convenience
of the service, a due regard to whioli might have compelled me to adopt the expedient of
releasing the prisoners to prevent the risk of contagion to the garrison, arising from sickness
amongst them, which in the opiniou of tho medical gentleman in charge was to be apprehended.
Hussan bin Ali and his followers were accordingly liberated, and returned to their
families at Sbammel yesterday ; the Chieftain came back and after signing tho accompanying­
preliminary engagement, was permitted to become a party to tho General Treaty.
The operation of this document may therefore now bo considered as extending to the
whole of the Arabian Coast from Rumzes to Bothabec, which includes all that has of late been
reckoned piratical.
40. The General Treaty has been executed in Triplicate, nnd 60 soon as the expeefed
signatures have beeu affixed, au original shall bo transmitted to the Honourable the Governor-
in Council.