Page 219 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part VI—Chap. XLIII. 197
of tho above considerations, othor reasons' existed for the Bahrein Chief not
being invited to join tho truce. It was known at tho time that His Highness
the Imaoni ontortnined hostilo intentions against the island, and it was fearod,
as a member ol the truce, tho Sheikh might have claimed tho interposition of
tho British Government to provent his being attackod. Afterwards arose the
irreconcilcablo feud betweon hirasolf and Esai bin Traif, and subsequently the
family quarrels, all of which rendered it expedient that tho British Govern­
ment should keep itsolf aloof from iuterfcronco as much as possible.
(Hi) Maritime Truce, 1835—1813.
351. Tho season of the poarl fisliory having, owing to tho establishment of
tho truce, passed over with unusual peace and tranquillity, it was renewed for
eight months on tho 13th April 1830, with undisguised satisfaction by the
respective Chiefs, aud again on tho 15th April of the following year. In
September of tho same year tho Joasmi Chief despatched a confidential Agent
by namo Mahomed bin Imuz, to wait upon tho Resident, for tho purpose of
intimating his desire that thoro should bo a total cessation of fighting at sea,
and that a general agreement should bo entered into by tho Chiefs on the
Arabian Coast to confine their wars upon each other entirely to the land,
with tho understanding that any aggression at sea should bo immediately
treated by tbe British Government as an act of piracy, and redress enforced,
accordingly ; in fact that the truce, instead of being established for six months,
should be made perpetual.
355. The Sheikh’s Agent explained.that his master was led to make the
request from the apprehension that on the lapse of tho term of the truce, the
Beniyas (who were little employed in trading pursuits) would take advantage
of his vessels being scattered, in the prosecution of their trading voyages, to
attack them individually, and unprepared. The Resident replied to this
communication that the British Government could not, for reasons which
were explained to the Agent, without its special sanction and authority, be made
a party to an agreement which would cast upon it the ouus and responsibility
of being tho arbiter in every dispute, and settlement of endless claims ; more­
over, the conflicting interests of tho other parties appeared to offer an insuperable
bar to their concurrence, and it was at all events necessary, in the first instance,
to learn their sentiment upon tho subject. In 1838, on the Resident’s makiug
a tour of the Arbian Coast, Sheikh Sultan bin Saggar not only expressed his
earnest desire for a renewal of the truce, but added that it would afford him
sincere pleasure if it could be changed into the establishment * of a permanent
peace upon the seas.
356. In reply, it was pointed out to him the little prospect there existed of the
maintenance of a perpetual peace, with reference to the peculiar habits and
dispositions of the Arabs : that when a definite period was assigned, as in a truce,
the several tribes were contented to allow their feuds and animosities to remain
in abeyance, under the idea that after a specified date it would always be in
their power to indulge their deeply rooted feelings of animosity, should
they feel disposed to do so. On the contrary, the circumstance alone of finding
themselves precluded, by tbe conditions of a treaty putting an end to all
future hostilities by sea, from avenging insults, or taking satisfaction for
wrongs, whether real or imaginary, would so embitter the sentiments of hatred
entertained towards each other, that a series of aggressions and retaliations
would speedily arise, which would only tend to defeat the very object for
which the peace had been negotiated. (Extraot of letter No. 11, Political
Department, from Captain Hennell to Government, dated I'Jth April 1810.)
357. The Sheikh then urged the extension of the truoo, and suspension of
hostilities, for twelve instead of eight months, and the other partios consent
ing to tins arrangemeut, the truce was drawn out accordingly, and duly
signed by each. It was again rouewed for the samo period in the years
1839, 1840, 1811 and 1812 successively, without the slightest demur or
objection.
358. Immediately, however, on the expiration of that for the year ending in
April 1810, and before time and opportunity bad been allowed to the Resident
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