Page 207 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Fart VI—Chap. XLI—A. 185
No. 693, datod tho 1st July 1829.
To—Tho Resident, Persian Gulf.
I am directed to acknowledge tho receipt of your despatches, Hated tho 12th and 19th
May, with enclosures, regarding tho present utato of affairs on tho Arabian Const and His
Highness tho linauin of Muscat’s meditated attack on Bahrein, and to acquaint you that (he
Governor in Council approves of the tenor of your communications to Ills Highness as also
Ihoso to tho Sheikh of Bahrein, on the subject at issue.
2. Tho Governor in Council concurs in the sentiments expressed by you regarding His
H ighness’s viows on Bahrein. However much that Prince may have erred in hie late efforts
at extension of power and however impolitic it is to interfere in the warfare now existing
between him and the Arab Chiefs of the Guff, it would be most unwise to allow the power of
this deserving Prince and useful petty State to be destroyed and that of a combination of
Chiefs substituted in its place. This would be alike injurious to an ally from whom we have
often derived aid and to the interests of trade of India which his father and him have been
alike zealous and successful in promoting. The Chiefs whom circumstances have united against
him would bo more likely to turn tho power which such success gave them to piratical than
commercial objects,
3. The Govornor in Council however does not apprehend any such extreme as above stated
occurring, and if it did ho has no doubt who should be able to save our ally without embarras­
sing ourselves further than by imposing somo salutary restrictions upon bis futuro ambition.
4-. In the absence of 6uch necessity of interference, the Governor in Council deems it pru­
dent to continue towards His Highness the 6amecour*cas that hitherto pursued and is decidedly
of your opiniou as to the inexpediency of sending any of the Company’s vessels to the pearl
fishery this season. It is not proper for vs even to interpose unless when we determine to make
our authority respected. In such a state of excited feeling of hostility as now exists among the
Arabs of the Gulf we could not expect to do that without coming to extremes with one of the
parties or perhaps both and such an occurrence is much to be deprecated. Besides there is
reason to expect that our withdrawing from the 6ame will create alarm and cause losses that
may dispose many to desire peace and to seek an accommodation of their differences through
the British Representative.
No. 1268, dated 26th Octobor 1829.
To—Tho Resident, Persian Gulf.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, dated the 5th September,
No. 80, transmitting copies of your correspondence with the Imaum of Muscat and Chief of
Bahrein on tho subject of a reconciliation between those chieftains.
2. The Governor in Council highly approves of your conduct on the present occasion
and of the judicious manner iu which you have maintained the important principle of an even
friendship towards all and a dcsiro of restoring peace without allowing that desire to invdlve
Government in the embarrassment that must result from becoming guarantee of engagements
of which, from the characters of tho parties, there would be likely to bo continued infractions.
There is no doubt whatever that the continuance of such hostilities will prove ruinous to tho
trade of tho Gulf unless every act of piracy or plunder is instantly repressed, and this can only
be done by making the Chiefs to whom those that commit excesses belong, responsible for all
subject to them or who are their allies. Such conduct on our part steadily pursued will so
limit the operation of the belligerents as to render them unprofitable, and if neither party
obtains any very decided success, they will soon seek our good offices upon the terms we are
disposed to grant them.

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