Page 268 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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away from the harbour after dark, in order not to attract attention. When the
news of the insurrection reached Bombay, the Coromandel, a steam transport
belonging to the Bombay Marine, was the only vessel available for the moment,
and some days elapsed, indeed, before she was pronounced ready for sea. Almost
simultaneously with her arrival at Mussendom, but not till after the refugees
from Maskat had reached that port, came
Political Proceedings, April 18G6, Ncs. 31-48.
Her Majesty’s ships Highflyer and
Octavio. These latter at once set out on a cruise, and their presence along the
Western Coast of the Persian Gulf had a marked influence in preserving order.
The Clyde and Hugh Rose were told off as guard-boats at Gwadur and Mussen­
dom, it being contrary to the orders of the Admiralty to leave a vessel of war for
the permanent defence of these telegraph stations. These arrangements,
promptly sanctioned and carried into effect, tended in some degree to relieve the
Resident’s anxiety ; but the risk which had been run made him recur in forcible
language to the absolute necessity of giving him greater resources for compelling
obedience to his orders. “ The way to provide for the maritime police of the
Gulf," he wrote to the Bombay Government towards the end of March, “is to
have an armed vessel at the disposal of your representative in the Gulf—such
vessel to be adapted for coasting work, to be efficiently armed and manned from
England, and to be under the orders of the Indian Government. Her Majesty's
troops come out to India for long terms, and serve under the Indian Government;
work would be much facilitated if the same rule obtained in regard to Her Majes­
ty’s ships of war. If this cannot be, then the next best thing might, perhaps.be
to have an Indian Naval Staff Corps serving aboard vessels built for the Indian
Government, but built in England with all the modern fittings and improvements
of the English Dockyard."
11. The removal of Her Majesty’s Ship Lyra from Aden in April 1S66 was
the cause of another strong appeal from the
Political Proceedings, June. iS66, No. 90.
Government of Bombay to the Secretary of
State. The Foodhlee tribe had not then tendered their submission, and there
was no saying what their next move would be. Under these circumstances,
though the Governor in Council did not think the case sufficiently urgent to
justify him in countermanding the orders of the Commodore, he intimated plainly
his desire that Aden should not continue to be deprived periodically of its means
of protection. The place which was formerly the head-quarters of a squadron
stood its chance now of having a ship of war for four months in the year. Yet
its importance was as great at ever, and actually the French, with fewer interests
to serve and less commerce to protect, had for nearly three years past maintained
a fully equipped gunboat on the station. Finally the argument that the western
coast of India was, during the south-west monsoon, unhealthy for English sailors,
and that on this account Trincomalee was the place of resort during the hot and
rainy season, did not apply to Aden, where there was never any great amount of
rain or heat, but, on the contrary, a refreshing sea breeze which kept down the
thermometer both by day and by night.
12. The coercive measures which it had been found necessary to adopt of
late in the Persian Gulf had made the
Proceedings, October iC66, No. 178.
European inhabitants of Zanzibar apprehen­
sive lest the Arabs, who annually came to that port in great numbers, armed to
the teeth, should wreak their vengeance on an unoffending and defenceless popu­
lation. They therefore, in August 1866, entreated through Colonel Playfair, Her
Majesty’s Consul and Political Agent, that, during trie approaching season, some
vessel might be permanently stationed off the island. After some correspondence,
Political Proceedings, March 1F.67, No. 341 Her Majesty’s Ship Wasp was told off to
FoUicat Fiocceding*.March iSoy, No. S3 and this service, but did not arrive at Zanzibar
apparently till late in November. In Feb­
ruary 1867 the dubious aspect of affairs at Sliahah, where the rivals of tne
tribe in possession were blockading the harbour, made the Resident at Aden
again send an earnest requisition for a ship of war to be placed at his disposa .
In the absence of the Highflyer, which had sailed away during the previous
November, he had nothing to rely upon but the steam-boat Victoria, whicn,
though she carried four guns, had no trained crew to work them. The answer ie

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