"ملخص لمراسلات تتعلق بشؤون الخليج الفارسي، ١٨٠١-١٨٥٣" [ظ‎‎٩‎٢] (٣٤٤/١٨٤)

164
Part V—Chap. XXXVI.
7. Sooltaun bin Suggur should he dissuaded from joining in this attack should it ever be
seriously intended, and in respect to the Imam of Muscat it seems only necessary to point out to
His Highness how repeatedly he has been deceived by Persia in its views on that island to
prevent him from again exposing himself to an alliance which will terminate as faithlessly as
the others have done.
8. I have the honour to enclose with his letter an open despatch (of which a copy is also
forwarded) to the Charge d^Affaires at the Court of Persia to enable him whenever it shall
appear expedient to communicate with that Court on the subject of the projected attack on
Bahrein, on the general state of the Gulf politics ; as a copy of your despatch now under reply
could not be made without considerable detention of the Nautilus, which will convey this letter,
you are requested to furnish Major Willock with a copy.
9. With regard to the fortifications which Sooltun bin Suggur wishes to erect at Rasnl
Khyma, I am directed to refer you to my despatch of the 20th instant (No. 357), in which
you will observe it is stated that the terms of the treaty do not allow of our preventing the
building of forts, or the retaliation of tribes, but that if the result of these measures is a
renewal of piracy, the 'perpetrators will find that an expedition can be sent from Bombay as easily
as from Kishm.
10. My letter of the 17th of this month will put you in full possession of all the corres
pondence which has passed regarding the Bahrein Botella seized by the Commander of Hia
Majesty's Sloop Sophie,
11. The Governor in Council sanctions the occasional hire of boats by the Commanders of
the cruizers as recommended in paragraph 23 whenever it may be fuund necessary as a pre
caution for the safety of their own boats under the circumstances there alluded to.
12. Adverting to the 70th paragraph of your letter, the Superintendent of Marine will be
directed to cause the Commanders of all cruizers proceeding on the Gulf station to be furnished
with copies of the Gulf survey as soon as they can be completed.
299. Copy of the above report of the Resident and the Government's instruc
tions was forwarded to Major G. Willock, the Secretary in charge of the British
Mission, with the following remarks (letter No. 394, dated 26th March 1823):—
No. '94, dated 26th March 1823.
From— W. M. N ewnham , Esq., Chief Secretary, Bombay Castle, Political Department,
To— M ajob G. W illock , Secretary, in charge of the British Mission at Tabriz.
I am directed to acquaint you that the Resident in the Persian Gulf has been requested
to furnish you with a copy of his dispatch to this Government of the 27th February for the
purpose of putting you in complete possession of the present state of the piratical powers in
that quarter, and I am directed also to transmit to you at the same time copy of the reply
addressed to Mr. McLeod under this date.
2. The Governor in Council directs me to solicit your particular attention to those parts
of this correspondence which relate to the Arab tribes on the Persian Coast, and particularly to
the rumour of a combined attack on the Island of Bahrein by the troops of Persia in conjunc
tion with the Imam of Muscat and Sultan bin Suggur.
3. It is not at all the wish of this Government that any immediate communication should
be made to the Persian Court on the subject of this dispatch, nor that any discussion on the
subject of the political state of the Gulf should be renewed, but whenever circumstances shall
in your opinion render it expedient to agitate the subject, the possession of this correspondence
will enable you to do so with advantage.
4. In such case the Governor in Council would suggest that the Court of Persia should
be dissuaded from disturbing the present tranquillity of the Oulf established with so much diffi
culty and expense, and that it should at the same time be stated that any renewal of piratical
practices will compel the British Government again to keep up a military establishment in the
Gulf which, as long as the seas are secure, can be dispensed with %