Page 178 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

156 Part V—Chap. XXXVI
was tho risk that those disorders would lead to tho revival of piracy, that I would enquire
into tho subject, and endeavour to induce Sultan bin Suggur to desist, if I found him tho
aggressor; and that at nil events I should use every effort to put a stop to aggressions at
sea if possible. The Shoikh promised to abido stiictly by all our arrangements in respect to
tho treaty, and returned to tho shore.
10. I was anxious to see as much of Sultan Suggur ns possible, and therefore proceeded
SMa* Jin Su)}ur. ,'“0raI>ani'<1 »>/
Captain 1 uitlifull and tho other Coinmnnders of
tho cruizors. Tho Shoikh received us very woll, gnvo us a house and a tent, and supplied us
with everything we required during our stay of two days on shore.
11. This Chief is certainly by far tho most powerful and ablost of all tho Sheikhs from
Ramss to Bahrein. Ho ontcred at great length on the subject of the treaty, and urged
strongly his supremacy over all tho other Chiefs of tho coast, which ho allcgod had been
confirmed by Sir William Grant Keir by a special agreement which he produced. This
paper proved to bo tho preliminary treaty, by which tho Sultan engaged to dclivor up tho
towns, guns and vessels at tho port of Sharga, Imam, Urnal Guwyn and their dependences.
As the Sheikh quoted this as a confirmation by our Government of his rights over all those
ports, and of his obligation of responsibility for their conduct and observance of tho treaty,
1 told him that it did not appear to mo to confor or confirm any right whatever, ' but merely
to acknowledge tho state of things as it stood at tho tirao of the agreement.
12. lie next adduced, in proof of his positivo rights over the ports, and particularly
in justification of his present proceedings against Rashid bin Humid, a letter fiom tho Chiefs,
said to bo a duplicate of one addressed by them to tho Hon'blo the Governor last year, in
answer f presume to a printed circular to tho parties to the treaty which was transmitted to
Kishm from tho olfico of Country Correspondence on tho 2'ith July 1821. I cannot discover
whether this letter ever was actually sent to Bombay or not; and Colonel Kennott does not
seem to have been aware of its contents; but tho duplicate which I examined had every
appearance of authenticity and bore the seals of tho Chiefs. 1 have the honour to enclose
a copy and translation of it for the information of Government.
13. I informed him that wo did not in auy way deny his right over any one who was
himself wiling to obey him and would consider him as the superior of all who acknowledged
him, that we had nothing to do with his disputo for supremacy, but must in such cases look
to every one to answer for himself, and that particularly, as far as regarded the stipulation
respecting vessels, it was indispensable that each Sheikh, whether subordinate or not, should
himself bo held responsible for his own port, since references to him on these points would bo
most inconvenient, and could not bo admitted, although they might bo acquiesced, and promised
to give instruotious accordingly.
14. Sultan bin Suggur expressed great anxiety to bo allowed to erect some defences
towards the land sidr# of the town to repel tho Bedouins, who he said took advantage of the
defenceless state of tho place to come and attack it during the pearl fishing season, when
all the men are at sea, and no one left but the women and children. He said he had no wish
to erect any work towards the sea, or within gun shot of tho shore, and that although he had
surrendered his guns and towers to be destroyed by Sir William Grant Keir, yet he had not
bound himself not to erect othor defences. I told him that under the orders of Government
X did not feel myself at liberty to authorize his erecting auy works so near the beach as he
desired, but that further inland he might build what ho pleased, that it was true there was
no express stipulation in the treaty against rebuilding their fortifications, but that it was the
evident intention and spirit of our proceedings and agreements to prevent it, and that I
believed the Sheikhs had themselves acknowledged this right on our part. I however
promised to represent the case to Government and obtain orders.
15. The Sheikh next stated that the Imam of Mascat and he were already at hostilities on
land, and asked hotf he was to act in the event of the Imam's attacking his vessels. I replied
that I hoped the Imam would not commit any aggression, that I would adviso His Highness not
to endanger the tranquillity of tho Gulf by such proceedings, and that if the Imam should take
any of his vessels which were peaceably trading under our Register, I would remonstrate with
His Highness and endeavour, if possible, to procure redress. That although wo had no right
to interfere in their quarrels or wars, or even to prevent them from prosecuting just hostilities
at sea, and still less to forbid any ono to defend himself from aggression, provided those
hostilities did not lead to piracy, yet that we could not in any way countenance them, and
roust strongly dissuade all parlies from them. I explained that our Registers wore granted for
purposes of peace, not of war, and would not protect any suspicious vessels, and that as in
such cases it was hardly possible for our cruizers to distinguish between vessels intended for
lawful war and those whoso intentions were piratioal, armed boats would often be inevitably
exposed to suspicion and even danger, and at auy rate to the risk of trouble and detention.
16. On my enquiring respecting his quarrel with Rashid bin Humid Sultan denied all his
accusations and complained loudly against him, that after submitting, and solemnly ack­
nowledging bis supremacy, he had now thrown off his allegiance, and was stirring up all his
enemies against him in concert with the Imam of Mascat; that Rashid had always been most
hostile to the English os well as to himself. He declared that lie had no intentions agaiust
him further than to bring him back to his former engagements which he had broken, ana
assarted his right to do so according to tho paper which I had seen. Under this