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Tnnslalion of a letter from Mehedy Ali Khan, Resident at Buahiro, to the Hon’ble Jonathan
Duncan, Governor of Bombay, dated the 1st and received 28th August 1800 per Viper.
You must no doubt, Hon’blc Sir, have received the fullest Accounts of the
State of Affairs at Muscat from Doctor Bagle. I enclose you No. 1 an origin-il
letter recoivod from Syed Seif, Regent at Muscat and father-iu-Law to the
Imam; together with a copy of my reply No. 2. He requests me to give him
a letter of introduction to his Lordship the Governor General, as it was his
intention to go in person to Caloutta, stating him to be a friend and well-
wisher of the Hon’ble Company at Muscat.
A man, who was on board the ship that brought this letter who had come Movement* of
Frenoh ships.
from Mokha to Muscat with coffee and from tuenoe to Abushehr, states that
he fell in with two French ships of force off Aden; that they boarded the
Dhows, but on seeing the Arab Flag and pass permitted them to proceed ; and
that they declared they were bound for Bussora and the Coast of Persia. In
the meantime a two masted Vessel having in sight, the Frenchmen parted
Company to give her chase. The Arabs know no more than this of these
strangers; but if, Hon’ble Sir, what they say be true, we may expect on the
course of the next ten or twenty days to hear of two French privateers appear­
ing in the Gulph of Persia. Now considering the old connection subsisting
between this Nation and Muscat, and the respect with which they always treat
the Vessels of that port, I cannot, in my own mind entirely acquit his High­
ness the Imam of at least some acquiescence in the expediency of their
!
visit.
I apprehend therefore, that it is a maxim not unknown in politics, that,
whenever any seriously hostile designs are known to exist against the interest
of any Empire or State, until the whole energies of that State can be applied to
the reduction of the aggressors, it is unwise to render them altogether
irreclaimable. Hopes of favor and accommodation ought rath er be held out
until the Moment when the means of restribution are prepared, or you only
magnify and mature the evil, before you have the power to represist. I have
accordingly written to Syed Sief in the terms above noticed, and forwarded
him the recommeudation he desired to his Lordship, Copy of which also goes
enclosed.
The ambiguous connection, Hon’ble Sir, that at present subsists between The ambiguous
the English Government and Muscat, being neither cordial friends nor open foees, connection between
the English and the
I cannot but look upon as productive of the most serious evils. Should they Imam*
however once lose all prospects of reconciliation with us, the next step would
probably be a public co-operation with the enemy. The French would then
again get a footing in the territory, and their ships fill the cove of Muscat.
We should have to contend with multiplied foes and encreased resources ; and
an important Communication would be for a long time shut.

Should however his Lordship the Governor General find reason to Proposal to strike
a blow at onoo and
anticipate the blow, no time oould be more favourable to strike it. Their 'Mure Maikat*
Vessels are dispersed and they have no immediate external aid to rely on. I
have also settled with the Court of Persia upon the subject. Your Honor may
remember my having informed you, that I had made arrangements upon two
important points, which I should Communicate on my return to Bombay, one