Page 39 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part I—Chap. VI. 17
Bombay for proceeding to the Gulf. Tho foroo was to consist of about 2,000
men, to bo followed if necessary by 3 or 4 thousand moro.
42. Tho following corrcspondcnco discloses tho feelings of the Turkish
authorities on the project of the British occupation of Karrack:—

No. 27, dated Camp Mohumrah, the 10th Fobruary 1800.
From—C. Pa9I.bt, Eaq., Acting for Brigadior-Qenoral Malcolm,
To—N. 13. Eduonstonb, Eaa., Secretary to Govornmont in tho Secrot, Political and Foreign
Department, Fort William.
I had Inst tho honour to address you on tho 1st instant, and have now much satisfaction
in reporting to you, for the information of tho Right Honourable tlio Governor-General in *pp. 2091-2005.’
Council, that the present despatch convoys to India ollicial intelligence of tho termination
of hostilities between Great Britain and tho Porte. The definitive Treaty of Peace was
signed by Mr. Adair and tho Turkish Plenipotentiary on the 5th of January.
2. A despatch from Brigadier-General Malcolm of tho 30th December announces to
mo the resolution of Ilis Lordship in Council for taking possession of the Island of Carrack,
and for the formation thore of a permanent British Establishment. I have now the honor
to enclose copy of my letter to General Malcolm in auswor to that dispatch and of the
several communications whioli I have made on that subject in conformity to his instructions,
to tho Resident at Bagdad and tho Acting Resident at Bushire.
3. The Honourable Company's Cruizer Fery has been for this last month past cruizing
between Bnshiro and Carrack with dispatohes to the address of General Malcolm, from
Sir Harford Jones, having references I irnagino to the operations which the General has been
directed to pursue in that quarter, but I havo not received any communication from His
Excellency as to the nature of their contents.
4. By the enclosed copy of a despatch from the Resident at Bagdad in answer to that
which I had the honour to forward you in my address No. 26, His Lordship iu Council will
observe tho sentiments of Mr. Rich concerning the light in which the Hasha would be
inolined to view the arrival of General Malcolm in his territories. The peaco which has since
been concluded between the two Fmpircs must of course cause a considerable alteration in
tho feelings and politics of His Highness; but the opinion of Mr, Rich appears to be, that even
tho occurrence of that event (which has subsequently taken place) would not entirely remove
his fears and alarm on tho occasion. I shall however suggest to Mr. Rich that if circumstances
should hereafter render it expedient for General Malcolm to debark any pait of his force at
this place or at Bussorah, tho expression of any doubts or jealousies on the part of His Highness
would, in tho present posture of affairs, appear to imply a degree of distrust in tho
honour and public faith of tho British Government altogether as unmeaning and unfounded
as it is injurious and indecorous, and I entertain little doubt but the representations of Mr. Hich
on this point (if it should prove necessary to make them) will he successful in reconciling His
Highness to that arrangement should any change iu affairs hereafter induce General Malcolm
to consider it advisable to suspend for a time the execution of His Lordship's orders concerning
Carrack.

Dated Camp Mobumrah, the 9th February 1809.
From—C. Paslbt, Esq., Acting for Drigadior-Goneral Malcolm,
To—Claudius James Rich, Esq., Resident at Bagdad.
In conformity with suggestions made to me by Mr. Manesty since his perusal of my
despatch to you of tho 6th instant I again take up tho pen. pojj
It appears to Mr. Manesty that no representation which can be made will have any No. 323 of 1809,
effect in disabusing tho Baslia of the idea that the proposed establishment at Karrack will pp- 2109-2113.
be prejudicial to the commerce of Bussorah, if that subject is once touched upon. It may there­
fore be as well iu your eventual communications with His Highness to avoid as far as possible
the introduction of that topic, and only to use the observations with which I have furnished
you on tho subject in the event of your being questioned by His Highness as to that parti­
cular point.
With rcgnrd to gencrul outlines of the arrangemont, your communications may be in
every other respect the same ns those I before suggested j but in pursuance of my former ideas
on the subject of withholding from tho Basha all direct and explicit communications to as late
a period as possible, it may not bo inadvisable, whenever the Basha may interrogate you on the
subject of our preparations at Bombay, to speak of them as the prelude to measure?, the policy
of which is still under discussion, rather than to expose prematurely to his view that ey.-tom
of arrangement which the Governor-General has determined to pursue. It is needless to add
that if General Malcolm actually havo debarked at Karrack no fuither reserve will be either
necessary or advisable, and that you will of course in such case carry your commuuicatious to
tho full extent laid down in my preceding despatch, withholding however tho commcrc;nl
question as much as possiblle and enlarging principally on the necc-sity of occupying Karrack
as a check on the politics of Persia and as a station by tho possession of which we 'should bv
enabled effectually to suppress all future piratical depredations in the Gulph.
1285 F.D.