Page 206 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

181 Part Vl-Chap. XLI-A.
I would therefore, as Your Highness's sincere friend and well-wisher, strenuously recom
Your Highness to avail yourself of the first favourable opportunity which may offer to
to an ainicablo and honorable conclusion the differences unhappily existing betwe n yQ^
Hiphnoss and the Oofoobee* being fully persuaded that by adopting tins courso Your Hie! °Ur
will be consulting your own interest and will cnnduco in a greater measure to tbo rest 't*88
of that i*?nco and tranquillity in tbo Gulph which it is the earnest dosiro of this Gov^ f
should bo prosorved. «rnment
Such is tho advice which Your Highness's sinccro friend I consider it incumbent on
to offor you in the present juncture of your affairs, and for further information on this an 1 1?
other points I beg to rofer Your Highness to Major Wilson who has been furnished with tho
instructions of Government as to tho lino of conduct to bo pursued on the present occasion ^

No. 41, dated Dusbirc, tho 10th May 1820.
From—Lieotbwant-Colonbl D. Wilson, Resident in tho Persian Gulf,
To—Willum NbwniiaI!, Esq., Chiof 8ocretary to tho Govornmont of Bombay.
I havo tho honor to acknowlodgo tho receipt of your letter No. 448, dated 17th A M
1829, enclosing a letter to be forwarded by mo to tho address of His Highness the Im 'p
Muscat, and intimating that it would afford the Honorable tho Governor in Coun M ^ k
satisfaction to learu that an opportunity had olfcrcd for tho oxcrciso of my influence to D«1C“
a reconciliation between the Imam and the Chief of Bahrein, so that tho tranquillity StE*
Gulf may be placeJ on a permanout footing. i " 0£ tho
IX imnnrtanco that tbo letter of the Honorable the Governor
2. It *PP®ar?J. *j° immediately and that I should be acquainted with his views after
should reach His Hjghne particularly as I understand his preparations for renewing his
its receipt, as soon a P » { of forwar(lness. I have therefore taken up a small boat
?^e°pur^r.r»f accompUAbs this service in tho quickest manner, and t trust that this
measure will bo sanctioned.
o Tn forwarding tho Honorable tbo Governor’s letter I addressed a few lines from

AraTto acknowledge that he wishes a mediator, lus saying so looks in bis estimat.on like an

wd consequently wrote the accompanying note to our Agent at Muskat to whom 1 could
more freely and precisely define “ that 1 could nut guarantee anything in any way and that
“ could only speak as a friend.” To increase the chance of an opening for negot.ation,
addressed a similar note to the Agent at Bahrein.
4. His Highness the Imam’s late defeat at Bahrein, the successful capture by the Utoo-
bies, and others who have joined in tho war, of a few boats from the people of Muskat, and
of HiB Highness's allies, and the want of successes on his part to counterbalance those of his
enemies, are circumstances which have tended as ranch to diminish the former estimate of
His Highness's power, as to raise the spirits of his enemies, and probably if His Highness
should delay long in proceeding against them, they might seek him iu his very capital. The
Utoobie8, even when his fleet was at Bahrein in force, loudly proclaimed that they would never
again consent to pay him tribute which they had done only because they feared our inter­
ference.
5. Unless, therefore, His Highness should obtain some little success to raise the estimate
of his power to its former standard, I |hould despair of seeing matters brought back even to
the state in which they were before the war broke out. But even if His Highness would
consent to admit our mediation, we ought to look most attentively to circumstances before we
negociate anything that would be derogatory in any very considerable degree, to so devoted
an ally. Even if his judgment bavo erred in entering upon the war, still he is looked
upon by all as one who has great claims on our countenance, and in extremity, our assistance.
We have of late had many opportunities of evincing that we are determiued not to mix in the
constant quarrels, and petty affairs, of tho small States of this Gulf, that we are above all
such trifling concerns, and not to bo influenced by them, but we may have to consider what
our own loss might be, if a very devoted and generally a most obedient ally be brought too
low. There are inconveniences in all alliances that must be endured, aud none are more full
of them than those between great and very small States.
0. I shall watch attentively the progress of the affairs in question, takiug on ail occasions
when circumstances will admit, the orders of the Government on any new occurrences, It is
only bcoiuse references from this distance require so long a time, that I frequently feel called
upon to enter more into the details of many subjects than I otherwise should, that tho
Government observing anything it may deem erroneous in my sentiments, may command
accordingly.