Page 189 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Port V-Chop. XXXVIII. 1C7

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

GOVERNOR’S ADVICE TO THE IMAM OF MASKAT AND THE
SIIEIKH OF BAHREIN AS REGARDS THE FORMER’S
CLAIM FOR TRIBUTE—1823.
307. This claim of the Imam of Maskat to tribute from Bahrei n was one
ovor which the maritime peace of tho Persian Gulf was constantly disturbed.
Whatever was tho origin of tho Imam’s claim, it appears from Major-General
Sir William Keir's letters of April 1st and May 1st, 1820, that the Uttubis had
formally engaged to pay it, and it was their infringement of that agreement
that had led to disputes. The policy of the British Government at this time
was only to put a stop to piracies in tho Gulf, and not to interfere with
legitimate maritime warfare between the Arab States. We therefore confined
ourselves to merely advising bclligorents to restrain their ardour for war
causing disturbance of maritimo peace. Such advice was tendered by
Mr. Elpliinstone, Governor of Bombay, to the Imam of Maskat and the Sheikn
of Bahrein, and his letters on the subject are quoted below:—

Letter from the Honorable Mountstuart Elphinstonc, Governor of Bombay,
to His Highness the hnaum of Muskat, dated 19th August 1822.
It was formerly tho intention of this Government that Captain Bruco should endeavour
v , oi ,oQ.i to mediate and accommodate the differences
1 ni regarding tho tribute between Your Highnesses
and the Ootoobees of Buhrein, but circumstances having prevent' d that gentleman’s perform­
ing the duty, I am induced to communicate my sentiments to both parties as the common
friend of both and as one greatly interested (on account of tho British Government) in the
preservation of the tranquillity of tho Persian Gulf.
My advice to Your Highness is this, if tho tribute from Bahrein be one which has been
paid annually without dispute and without interruption to Your Highness and your ancestors
for a long succession of years it is well ; you are entitled to continue to demand it. Tho
Ootoobees will probably not long coutinue to withhold a tribute which has been always paid,
and if they do so, Your HighueBs is entitled to coerce them and retain your undoubted inheri­
tance. But if on the other hand the tribute be of recent establishment, or if it has been
liable to great interruptions, and be still considered by the Ootoobees as a matter in dispute,
I would advise Your Highness to give up the pursuit of it, because even if you should succeed
in establishing it, you will not do so without a war, and if a war once commence depre­
dations will be renewed, people will leave commt-rcial pursuits for thoso of plunder, the old
depredations in tho Gulf will bo renewed, and in addition to the injuries to mankind in
general Your Highness will yourself suffer losses more than the tribute will make up for.
The effect of a disturbance is to throw things into confusion; many not openly engaged
will plunder underhand and the war will soon be not with the Ootoobees but with all the
tribes in tho Gulf. Such is my advice relating to the Ootoobees.
Letter from the Honorable Mountstuart Elphinstone, Governor qf Bombay,
to Abdoolla Bin TJhmud of the race of Khuleefu, the Sheikh of Buhrein,
dated 19th August 1822.
In my former letter I referred you to Mr. Bruce for a settlement of your disputes with
the Imaum of Muskat, but that gentleman not having had an opportunity of enquiring
regarding them, I now write to His Highness and to yon on the subject. If your tribute
to the Imanm bo a matter of established right I would by all means recommend your
paying it, a sin the first place it is just to give every man his own, and secondly because war
is an evil to all people, but especially to those engaged in commerce; because if war begins,
confusion increased, fresh powers join from various motives, piraoy is renewed and commerco
is interrupted. If, on tne other hand, tho Imaum’s claim on you be altogether unjust and
unfounded, it is to be hoped that he will listen to reason and be induced to forego it.