Page 243 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part VI—Chap. XLIV.] 221
Wo trust, howevor, that the representations which will Imvo been inndo by your Agents
at Bagdad, and in the Gulf, under the instructions abovo roforred to, aided by tho presonco
of tho Admiral in tho Gulf, will Imvo proved offectual to deter the Egyptian Commander
from tho furthor prosecution of his views in that quarlor.
Tho Governor in Council at Bombay has properly impressed upon Captain Ilcnncll the
expediency of his losing no opportunity of encouraging the Chiefs of Arabia and the Imaum of
Muscat to unite and resist to the utmost the encroachments of the Egyptian forces.
If necessary we should not disapprove of your entering into an engagement with the Chief
of Bahrein to protect him against encroachment from Mehemet Ali, hut we concur in the doubt
expressed by Captain Ilcnncll as to whether it would be expedient for that island to be taken
under the protection of the British Government.
Wo aro,
Your affectionate friends,

It. W. JENKINS.
E. W. W. BAYLEY.
East Indian Houbb,
London;
The Ut July 1839.
394. Again in their despatch No. 691, dated 27th March 1840, the
Secret Committee observed :—
Our wishes in regard to the affairs of the Persian Gulf have been already communicated
to you. Vessels carrying munitions of war aro to bo stopped. Every effort is to be made to
cultivate the alliance of the Imam of Muskat within whose territories a British Consul will
reside under tho treaty which has been concluded by Her Majesty with that Prince. We
consider ourselves.......'.—-relieved from all regard to the interests of the Chief of Bahrein and
toe should be glad to hear that his island was in possession of a friendly Chieftain. Tlie
Maritime Chiefs of Arabia should be encouraged in their opposition to the encroachments of
Mehemet Ali.
395. The change of attitude in regard to Bahrein indicated in this despatoh
was probably owing to its Sheikh’s having completely thrown himself at the
mercy of Korshid Pasha.

(YI) BUY.Ml CHIEFS, AND ATTEMPTS TO UXITE THEM IX AX ALLIANCE AGAINST
EGYPTIAN ENCROACHMENTS—DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY AND AMMUNITION AMONG
THEM.
396. A description of Bryrai at this time by Mr. Mackenzie, Assistant
Resident at Bushire, will be found on
Volnrno 163 of 1840, p. 163.
pages 116—118 of the Bombay Selections
No. XXIV. The position of the Brymi tribes has been already described,
and the orders of the Government of India as to how to doal with them have
been quoted. The following is an account of the meeting the Political Resident
at Bushire and Captain Hamorton, Agent at Maskat, had with them at Ejman
and the measures taken for bringing about conciliation between the contend­
ing tribes and for uniting them ia an alliance against the encroachments of
the Egyptians (Resident’s letter No. 20, dated 12th January 1840):—
About noon accompanied by Captain Hammerton.I lauded at Ejman, and was met on the
beach bv the Brymee and Naeem Sheikhs, with a largo party of their followers. On being
seated in the room assigned by the Chief of Ejman for my reception, the several Sheikhs
Humud bin Surur, *) Chiofs of tho Shuwa- as noted in the margin wero introduced to mo.
Mahomed bin Abdullah, £ mis tribe «nd holders After the usual compliment, I commeuced the
Ahmed bin Surur. ) of the forteof Bryraeo. conversation by saying that it afforded me great
pleasure to have this opportunity of becoming personally acquainted with those Arab Chiefs
who had displayed such a creditable determination to maintain their owq independence against
tho attacks of Khnrshid Pasha to bring them under the yoke of Mahomed Alii; that the
advance of the Egyptians in this direction was recoivod with disapprobation by the British
Government, «s teudiug to briug the tribes of Oman under foreign control, and also to
interrupt the friendly relations hitherto subsisting between the maritime Arabs and the English;
that tho British Government entertained no desire to establish its authority in the interior of
Arabia, neither did it at aU profess to tako any of the inland tribes under its protection, or
consider itself under un obligation to defend them in case of their being attacked; that, although
the Sirkar deemed it but proper to withhold any pledge of this nature to tribes and places
located beyond its control, it was most desirous to impress tho Arabian Sheikhs with a due
sense of their own interests, and to induce thorn to combine cordially together to repel the
threatened aggressions of Kborshid Pasha and the Egyptians; it therefore kopt the proceedings
of tho tribes of Oman in view, and whero it observed on tho part of any of them a disposition
to adopt this lino of policy, it was inclined to cultivate their goodwill and friendship j that
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