Page 146 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

124 Part V—Chap. XXVIII
might have closed the door to fufuro negotiation, which could ho renewod
with better prospect of succors by tho expected minister to tho Persian court,
particularly it' ho was authorized to grant any favour to His Persian Majesty.
24G. The great repugnanco of tho Shall to tho formation of any British
80ttlement in tho neighbourhood of Persia was strongly manifested by His
Majesty not immediately accepting tho British mediation to obtain a tributo
from tho island of Bahrein, an object which ho so ardently desired and which
His Majesty was awaro must at a future period bo difficult of attainment, from
tho already advanced state of tho negotiations botween tho Shoikhs of Bahrein
and tho Imam of Maskat: His Majesty appoars to havo declined accepting tho
mediation of tho British Government from tho dread that such good offices
would only bo exerted under tho expectation of obtaining tho cession of an
island.
In their despatch to Sir Henry "Willock, No. 1485, dated 3rd October
1820, tho Bombay Government stated :—
Volume 31-47 of 1820.
(2) You will no doubt have boon mado acquainted with the evacuation of Bas-ual-Khima
by the British detachment on the 18th of July, and of the establishment of the British detach­
ment at 1)erist'an in tiio Island of Kishm, a measure which tho British Goverument would
gladly havo avoided if the revival of piracy couldjiave been checked by any other meaua.
(3) I havo already had the honour of inf Tilling you that any olaims which Persia might
possess to the sovereignty of the Island of Kishm, would recoivo the most candid consideration
from tho Government, but Ido not conceive it politic on our pari to renew the discussion;
should any proofs of its claim be produced by the Government of Tehran, I would suggest
your rofeiring them to this Government, and should hope that duiing the period that must be
occupied by the requisite investigation tho King of Persia will have leisure to observo the
good offocts arising Irom our occupation of this land; and be induced to consent to our retain­
ing it, even if ho should establish his right to demand its evacuatiou.
(4) You will be pleased to avail yourself of the earliest opportunity of informing the
Persian Government that a*» our views are exclusively limited to the extirpation of piracy, it
would be contrary to our policy, in the present state of the Gulf, to afford the mediation to*
formerly offered between fits Majesty and the Utubis of Bahrein,
(5) Permit me to offer you the acknowledgments of this Government for the ready and
cordial disposition which you have manifested in promoting its views in the prosecution of the
expedition against the Joasmi Pirates. I was fully sensible of the inveterato jealousy of the
Government to which you are accredited, and of the consequent difficulty of the office which
you were requested t<» undertake, and I entertain every hope that as no circumstance has yet
arisen from our occupation of Kishm, calculated in any degree to affoid grounds of just
alarm to tho Persian Government, you may be able to allay any feelings of jealousy which may
display themselves uutil they gradually subside in a confidence in the moderation of our
views.
(0) I avail myself of this opportunity of informing you with the views of guarding
against any misrepresentation that may be circulated on tho occasion, that measures are in
progress for conveying a battalion of Nativo Infantry of 800 rank and file for the pur­
pose of relieving the troops in the Gulf. Tho transports which convey tho former will imme­
diately return with the latter.
247. In his despatch, dated 20th December 1820, Sir Henry Willock
reported to the Government of India that several of the principal officers of
Pars had reached the Capital, the occasion of their mission being to report on
the occupation of a part of the Island of
Volume 31-47 of1820-1821.
Kishm by the British detaohment from
Ras-ul-Khima; and this event had been represented so pregnant with mischief
and dangerous consequences that the Prince Governor of Pars availing him­
self of the timid character of tho Shah strongly urged the neoessity of strength­
ening the frontier on the coast, and of conciliating the people of the Dasbis-
tan by a remission of a considerable part of the tribute they have boen accus­
tomed to pay.
248. These representations were attended with tho effect desired by the
Shiraz Government, and the Persian Ministers demanded in the strongest
terms the immediate departure of the British detachment from Kishm, which
island was claimed by tho Persian Government. The Persian Minister pre­
sented to Sir Henry a note, dated 9th December 1820, strongly remonstrating
against tho British proceedings. In consequence of an opinion which prevailed
that only by their own Agency everything waa to bo effected, tbo Shah's