"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎١‎٧] (١٧٨٢/٣٦٠)

217
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HOilUlri
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In 1812 the title of u Resident at Bagrah 3 ' , being no longer in
accordance with the facts^ was changed to that of "Political Agent in
Turkish Arabia," and the holder was authorised to reside either at
Baghdad or at Basrah, as he might find advisable, and to station his
Assistant at whichever place he did not select for his own head-quarters.
The Political Agent, however, who under these orders made his abode at
Baghdad, was almost always described as " Resident at Baghdad/'
In May 1822 orders were issued for carrying into effect the long-
contemplated economy and reform by which all British concerns in the
Persian Gulf and in Turkish "'Iraq were to be brought under the control
of a single officer. Mr. Rich, Resident at Baghdad—or, more correctly.
Political Agent in Turkish Arabia—having died. Captain Bruce, Resident
at Bushehr, was directed to assume charge of the combined Residencies
as soon as he should have wound up the commercial business in which, like
other political officers of the day, he had been engaged on his own account,
but which, under an order applying to the whole Political Department,
was prohibited for the future. In consideration of the loss which he
must suffer in being thus debarred from trade, his salary, apart from
allowances, was raised (probably from Rs. 600) to Rs. 1,200 per mensem,
and Captain Taylor, the acting Political Agent in Turkish Arabia, who
became his Assistant for affairs in that country, received an increased
salary of Rs. 600 a month for the same reason. The new " Political
Agent in the Gulf of Persia,^ as he was styled, was authorised to make
either the island of Qishm, where a British military detachment was at
the time stationed, or Basrah his head-quarters; and, in case of his
removing from Bushehr, as contemplated in his instructions, he was to
leave a Native Agent at that port. On the 1st November 1822, how
ever, possibly before the arrangements ordered had come into force,
Captain Bruce was removed from his post on account of an unauthorised
engagement into which he had recently entered with the Government
of Shiraz, and the amalgamation of the Residencies was countermanded
by the Government of Bombay "in consideration of the removal of
" our troops from Kishm, and the necessity that will exist for
" Lieutenant McLeod's directing his whole attention to the concilia-
" tion of the Arab tribes." Political powers were exercised, it should
be noted, by the military officer in command of the British military
detachment which was maintained on Qishm from 1820 to 1822.
The Political Agency in Turkish Arabia (or " at Basrah, as it was
also called) was then re-established, and Captain Taylor was appointed
Conversion
the Basrah
Residency
into a Politi
cal Agency in
Turkish
Arabia, 1812.
Temporary or
nominnl
reorganisation
in 1822.
Re-establish
ment of the
■ m r