Page 238 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

210 [Part VI—Chap. XLIV.
of thoso despatches a* his oxp«rioncc might suggest, and Iiis Lordship would have boon happy
to avail himsrlf of thorn in forming his own judgment. But as I have not hoard from you
again on tho subject, and as these napors relato to matters of importanco on which it is
dosirablo that some resolution should be formed without delay, I am directed to communicate
to yon, for tho information of His Honour in Council, tho following remarks of tho Governor-
Geucral on Captain Ilonnoll's despatches.
8. H's Lordship hiirhly applauds tho zeal and onorgy which induced Captain Ilcnnell to
Captnin Ucnnoll’a letter A, datol 4th July 1830, undertako his Into voyage along tho coast, in
with cocImukm. order to ascertain fully tho metivos which had
induced tho Chief of Bahrein and others to submit, without apparent necessity, to Kboorsia
Pacha, the Egyptian Gcnoiol, and to endeavour by his presence and personal influence and
exhortation to 6top tho progross of submission on tho part of tho Maritime Chiefs which might
otherwise, he had reason to apprehend, extend ovor tho pwvinco of Oman.
4. The explanation afforded by Shoik Abdoola biu Ahmed, the Chief of Bahrein, either
in his letter to Captain Ilcnnell, or in his conversation with that officer, of tho motives which
had induced him so unexpectedly and apparently 60 unnecessarily to place his territories in a
position of dependence on Egypt, and to become himself tributary to Muhammad Ally,
appoarB to tho Governor-General most unsatisfactory. The facility of crossing from tho main­
land to Bahrein in boats, which he alleges as the cause of his weakness and inability to
opposo tho Egyptian General, might have boon a valid reason for submission to an army
assembled on the coa^t, and furnished with boats to effect the passage. But no such
imminent danger threatened him, nnd much time must have been occupied in preparations
for the invasion of Bahrein. Jar from waiting for these, the Sheik appears, on the arrival
of nn Agent of Khoorshed Pasha, to have surrendered his independence at the first summons,
and oven now to discuss « ith complacency the propriety of his conduct. From the date of
the engagement entered into with Khoorshed Pasha, it appears that it was negotiated
subsequently to tho visit of Admiral Maitland and Mr. Edmunds to Bahrein, and the Sheik's
assertion that the engagement was concluded before the arrival of the Wellesley at Bahrein
can deserve little credit, as such a transaction could hardly have escaped the knowledge o£
Mr. Edmunds, if in reality the island of Bahreiu had become a dependency of Egypt before
his visit. It must therefore bo ursumed that Sheik Abdoolah consented to become tributary
to the ruler of Egypt, not only before he was (compelled by any military demonstration to
adopt that course, but after all the encouragement to resistance and promise of support whioh
he bad received from tho British Government, and it would thence appear manifest that, by
whatever motives he may have been influenced, he has deliberately preferred his present
connexion with Egypt to his former independence in alliance with the British Government.
b. Sheik Abdoola’s conduct is unfortunately not a solitary instance of too ready
submission to the demands of Khoorsbid Pasha and hi6 Agent Syud bin Mootluk. There is
reason to believe that Sheik Kuleefa bin Shakboot and Sooltan bin Suggur bad rather
encouraged than otherwise the pretensions of Syud bin Mootluk and but for the npp-arance of
the Resident on the coast of Oman, it i6 to be apprehended that the other Chieftains in that
quarter would ere long have been induced or compelled to submit to tho authority of the
Officer appointed by Khoorsbid Pasha to rule over them.
6. Under sach circumstances it could have only been by energetic measures such as
those adopted by Captain Hennell, that the continued influeneo of the British Government
over these petty States could have been longer maintained.
7. The Governor-General it therefore prepared to approve and -confirm the engagements
-
entered tnfo by that officer for the supply of munition* of tear to certain of the Chieftains,
and. Hit Lordship hopes that the engagements concluded by several of the chief's io adhere to
their former connexion, and not to permit Syud bin Mootluk to obtain a footing among them,
■will be faithfully performed.
8. Of this there might not have been much prospect if Khoorsbid Pasha and his Agent,
bin Mootluk, Were to persist in prosecuting their deigns against the independence
of the‘Chiefs of Oman, for it has been seen with Row little regard to honor and good faith
several of these Chieftains who had engaged to Lieutonaut Edmunds to oppose with one
accord the encroachment! of Syud bia Mootluk were almost immediately afterwards in
friendly communication with that officer, and were preparing the way for the general
subjugation of their own, and of all the surrounding territories.
9. Any dependence on the steadiness of these .Chieftains to ‘the engagements they have
subscribed being therefore limited to tho inducements which they may have to keep them,
and as Captain Hennell had so little reason to rely on their good faith after he had left the
coast, he appears to have acted ‘with a sound discretion in resorting to other means of
deterring Syud bin Mootluk from his projected subjugation of Oman. The Governor-General
approves the tenor of tho Resident's letter to that officer, and trusts that the remonstrance
may not only produce an effect upon his proceedings, but may tend aB'iiiuch-as their engage­
ments to Captaiu Hennell to unite the Arab Chiefiain in the defoncee of their independence.
10. Captain Hennell's previous remonstrance to Khoorsbid Pasha appears not t to have
been without effect, and his protest against the encroachments of tne Egyptian forces
in the direction of Oman, will, it is to be hoped, lead to the immediate recall of Syud bin
Mootluk from that province.