Page 275 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

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a. From the papers submitted it appears that, on the 2oth August last, you sent an
urgent telegraphic requisition to the Senior Naval Officer, to the effect that the presence
of a man-of-war was very urgently required at Bahrein. The vessel did not leave Kurrachee
for ten days and only reached Bahrein in three weeks. Meanwhile a crisis had occurred
and it is said that the only reason for not immediately complying with the requisitiop was
that is would interfere with the system of naval relief.
3. On this statement you represent that the system of relief if rigorously carried out
might cause serious difficulties to the political possition of the British Government iu the
Gulf, and you therefore suggeot forconsidcrationlthat “itshould be understood what class of
duties b to be considered of paramount importance by the Naval Commanders, and to
what extent it is intended they should exercise the discretionary authority vested in them,
when important requisitions are made by the local rcoresentatives of the Government of
India.”
4. His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General in Council directs me to state
that the system of relief in 6uch a service as that of the Persian Gulf is of very great
importance, and that it is not to be departed from or set aside except under grave
emergency. Neither of the cases referred to by you {via., the threatened attack on
Bahrein and the disputes on land between the Chiefs of Shargah ar.d Rac-ool-Khymah)
appears to have been of sufficient importance to .necessitate exposing the crews of Her
Majesty's vessels to unusual hardships.
5. His Excellency in Council thinks that the requirements of such cases will be
sufficiently met by the following arrangements. All written or telegraphic requisitions
should be treated as ordinary or urgent and carried put in ordinary course or urgently so
far as the rules of relief admit. If you consider any requisition to be so emergent as to
require immediate compliance without regard to the rules of relief, you should say so
distinctly in the requisition, and should telegraph to Government the fact of your having
done so with your reasons. Government can then exercise a control if the requisition be
deemed injudicious. But you should be careful to note that nothing short of a grave
crisis to which all rules must bend would justify you in exercising the discretion hereby
given.
6. With reference to your letter of the 20th July last, to the address of Captain
Garforth, the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf Squadron, I am directed by His Excellency
in Council to observe that you no doubt unintentionally went beyond your proper province
in commenting upon the condition of Her Majesty's Ships Philomel and Daphne as to
supplies of shot and shell, etc., matters as to which the Senior Naval Officer is responsible
to Government.
27. Rear-Admrial Cumming addressed the Government of India (Marine
Department) • expressing his thanks for
• Political A, May 1875, No. 339.
the support so readily tendered to assist
him in his endeavours to carry out a regular system of relief in the ships of
the Persian Gulf Squadron. He thought that the arrangements detailed in
paragraph 5 of the Government of India orders above quoted, whereby a
difference between “ ordinary ” and “ urgent ” requisitions was drawn, would tend
materially to diminish the difficulties then experienced in carrying out the
onerous duties required of the small squadron in the Persian Gulf. He furhter
explained that the delay in the particular case complained of by the Resident was
due to the vessel in question having had to await the arrival of new boats from
Bombay, he having lost three in a cyclone when on passage to Karachi from
the Persian Gulf.

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