"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٦‎٥‎٨] (١٧٨٢/٨٠١)

65*
Preparations
by the
Qawigi m
to OCC'JpJ
Bssidn.
Overtures of
the Qawasim
rejected by
the
Government
of Bombay.
Bahrain, the Shaikh of tho?e island^ was induced to arrange -vrith Hasan-
bin-Rahmah for the exchange of some Qasimi prisoners in the hands of
the British Government against Indian women then held in captivity at
Ras -al-Khaimah : of the latter 1 7 were released.
The Qawasim now entertained the design of forming a settlement
at Basidu on the island of Qishm, to which they might retire if success-
fullv assailed by the ever advancing Egyptians, and whence, at the same
time, they might continue to prey with convenience upon the upward
and downward commerce of the Gulf. The gallant action fought by the
" Antelope " is believed to have been largely instrumental in frustrating
the execution of this scheme.
Conscious of impending retribution, the de facto Shaikh of Ras-al-
Kbaimah at this point made overtures for a reconciliation with tbe
Government of Bombay and adverted to the negotiations of 1814 be
tween himself, the Wahhabi Amir and the British power ; but it was too
late. His advances were sternly rejected.
The third British expedition against the Qawasim, 1819-20.
Deliberations The third campaign of the Indian Government against the pirates of
preeeding the the Persian Gulf was undertaken, after full consideration, with a firm
expedition.
resolve that it should be final and conclusive; and it probably would not
have been so long delayed as it was, had it not been for difficulties in India,
particularly those occasioned by the Gurkha war of 1 SI 1-15 and by the
Pindari troubles and Maratha war of 1 SI 7-18. Operations appear to have
been contemplated as early as 1S16; but it was not until September
1818 that the Government of Bombay submitted, under orders from the
Government of India, detailed suggestions for the pacification of the
Gulf. It was believed that a stubborn resistance would be offered by
the Qawasim, to overcome which a strong land force, estimated by the
Government of Bombay at 3,000, and by the Government of India at
4,000 or 5,000 men, would be required; and, as on account of the position
of affairs in the Dakkhan not a single battalion could be spared in time
for service abroad during the approaching winter, the Government of
India directed that the expedition should be postponed until the following
year. The Wahhabi power in Central Arabia had recently been over
thrown by Ibrahim Pasha, son of Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, Viceroy of
Egypt; and it was hoped that the eastward progress of the Egyptians,
whose active co-operation against Ras-al-Khaimah it was at the same
time resolved to invite, would in the meantime make the task of the