Page 306 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

284 Port VII—Chap. LXVL

CHAPTER 1XVI.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE KARRAR ISLAND, 1838-1841—E*.
PIJLSION OF SHEIKH NASIR FROM KARRAIi.
659. On the arrival of Captaia IIoniiQll with liis establishment at Karrak
questions arose as to the respective powers
Velum* 94-1000 of 1830.
that ought to be exercised by the Resident
and the Commander of the Forces on the island^ Colonol Sheriff.. Tho latter,
carried things in a high-handed manner and ex pelted' in a vory harsh manner
8hoikh Nasir, to whom we referred to above. This proceeding was justified on
tho ground that Sheikh Nasir being an avowed1 enemy of tho Persian Govern­
ment, his presence on the island would lie likely to bo misinterpreted by the
Persians. But there was no justification for carrying out tho expulsion1 in a
violent and harsh manner. Sheikh* Nasir claimed the-'island1 as his own territory,
but Captain Honnoll' thought that he and his ancestors had’ held' it ns a a*
appanage just as they had Bushire (letter dated I9th April 1839, to the
Bombay Government). The- Resident afforded every facility for his departure
without serious inconvenience to himself and his family; Further* Colonel1
Sheriff was inclined to take a serious view of the recent acts of the Mirza- Assad-
and to oonsider them as amounting to a declaration of war by the* Persian
Government against Great Britain, and wished- Captain ITennell to take certain
measures for being prepared to take- the offensive against Persia (his letter
dated 9th April 1839 to Captaihi Honnell). Gn the other hand' Chptain
Hennell had reason to believe that Miria Assad had proceeded without orders,
from superior authority. The Government of India animadverted, strongly on
Colonel Sheriff’s proceedings in their letter dated. 23rd. May. 1839/:—
4. The Right Honourable tho Governor-General has viewcd: with regrot the proceedings
connected'with the removal of Sheik Nasir from- Karrack. No reasons have been adduced by
Colonel Sheriff to convince His Lordship- of the necessity of that measure on the ground
assumed that Sheikh. Nasir’s continuance on the-islandi compromised tho safety or endangered
our position, on Karrack. The amount of British forco on the island of Karrack is certainly
not so insignificant that our. tenure of the place would have been placed in jeopardy by the
presenco of Sheikh Nasir and his followers, and no cause is assigned for his abrupt expul­
sion founded on his misconduct or on the manifestation of a hostile disposition towards the
British Government, and the supposition that he might intrigue against us is rendered
improbable by the implacable enmity which ha i6 said io hear towards thoso with whom in
6UC :h an. event he muat conspire, Another reason is. assigned by Colonel Sheriff for consi­
dering the Sheikh’s residence at. Karrack inexpedient, namely, that the Persian Government
might take offence at our position on that island under the flag.of' its rebel subject. The
unsoundness of this argument was shown in Captain Hennel’s reply to Colonel Sheriff's letter,
and the question was one depending sn entirely on political considerations that it should have
been left to the docision of the Resident, and it does not appear to His Lordship to have been
the proper province of Colonel Sheriff to enter into argument on such a point with t^iat officer.
His Lordship would be glad if any measures could be devised to provide for the comfort and
the security of this individual, and that just compensation for loss and expense should be
afforded to him at the discretion of Captain Hennel.
6. This observation applies with still greater force to the style of Colonel Sheriff’s letter
to Captain Hennel of April 9th, in which tho former offioer hu6 far outstepped the bounds of
his official duty, and appears to overlook the fact that the presence of the Resident on tho
island of Karrack relieved the officer commanding the troops from all political responsibility,
excepting 6uch as the Resident might think proper to impose upon him. It will bo desirable
in His Lordship’s opinion that the Honorable the Governor in Council should point out to
Colonel Sheriff the error into which he has fallen, and desire that for the future he will
leave the consideration and decision of all political questions affecting the relations of the
British and tho Persian Governments to the officer entrusted by Government with their
superintendence.
0. The Governor-General approves the tenor of Captain Hennel’s language in his
correspondence with Colonel Sheriff on tho political aspect of affairs in Persia, but tho Resident
should avoid discussion in an official form of such subjects, holding himself solely responsible
to his Government for tbe correctness of his own views and measures. Till tho British
Government had intimated an intention of invading continental possessions of Persia, it wag
as unnecessary as it might have been offensive for its officers to havq engaged in preparan
tions for such an enterprise. Nothing has been brought to tho knowledge of the Governor-
Ueneral to lead His Lordship to suppose that, as long as Karrack can be provisioned without