'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [‎26r] (51/344)

Part II— Chap. XII.
31
the measure and the Imam returned. One man belonging to the Army of
Seyyid Sultan was killed and several wounded. The troubles and expenses,
which his zeal for the cause of the English Government led him into—by
going himself in person, the equipment of his fleets and armies, the supplies
of money from bis own Treasury, lie did not consider ; urged solely by wish to
conciliate good opinion by supporting the cause of the Honourable Company.
76. On this occasion, stated the vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. , in consequence of a mis
representation of facts by some persons, a sum of 8,000 Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. was
taken by the Bombay Government from Syud Syuf the Gomastah of Syud
Sultan on account of the loss of this gunpowder, but had the circumstances
of this affair been fairly stated, the British Sarkar would not have approved
of such a proceeding and though so small a sum would be too trilling
a subject for discussion between the two Governments, yet the circum
stance would bring contempt on the head of the Imam from every quarter of
the Globe.
77. When the French, continued the vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. , lately brought several presents
The French offer of gifts and friendship de- and a lac One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of dollars ill n ady money to be
dined by the imam. presented to the Imam and they wished to
land and obtain an interview, Syud Sultan, sincere in his alliance and properly
conceiving that the friends or enemies of the English should be considered
as such by himself, refused the proffer of gifts, and to preserve the friendship
of the English he considered not the danger of this own vessels and those of
his subjects then at sea, but told them plainly and positively they must not
land, that he would not give them an audience, or receive either their presents or
their letters, he left his own vessels as well those of his subjects exposed to the
danger of being captured by the Erench.
78. The vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. further stated that not long after this, it happened that some
Visit of Frenchmen to Maskat tinder British Erenchmen airrved in a dingy from Goa,
passport. Breach of neutrality by an English they brought with them a letter Signed
man-of-war carrying them. ^ ^ Resident, with permission
to return to their country. The Imam concluded that had it been necessary
to seize these people, the British Resident or the Portuguese Governor (who
was also on terms of friendship with the Maskat Shirkar) would not have
granted them a passport. On their arrival an order was immediately issued
for them to embark and proceed on the first vessel going to Zanzibar. There
was nobody at Maskat, who understood English or who could read their letter
or comprehend what it contained or by whom it was signed. They went on
board a vessel bound for Zanzibar. The very day an English man-of-war
arrived and the Erenchmen were taken prisoners in the inner harbour of
Maskat. The Agents of Syud Sultan then sent off a message to the Captain
to say these people had with him an English pass, and came from Goa, that
if it had been proper to seize them the Resident at that place would
not have given them a passport, that he must not make them prisoners
in the Cove, and carry them off; because were an English packet or any other
vessel to be riding in the harbour on the following day and a French Frigate
were to put in, they in return would pay no respect to the (neutrality) of the
Port and the English must suffer the consequences. The Captain refused to
listen to anything of the kind and carried them off with him to Bombay. The
Governor disapproving of the conduct of the Captain of the men-of-war, sent
them back to Maskat and wrote to desire they might not be detained but sent
off immediately to their own country. It would not have been very politic to
have dispatched any of the Imam's vessels after having given such offence to the
Yrench frigate. The Imam did not send one of the vessels to convoy them
back, and as the season did not then admit of small craft going to Zanzibar
lie embarked them on board a dow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. and sent them again to Bombay.
79. There was a complaint against the Imam of Maskat on the subject of
Reception of the Sheikh of Nakhelo at Sheikh Rehma IS ekluvi, to the effect that
Maskat. Ije been plundering the Company's
property, and carried it to Maskat when he had sold it and desiring at the same
time that the said property with the offender be delivered up to your honour.*
On this matter, the Imam's agent stated that should a single particle of this
property be landed at the Custom House of Maskat, or any of the brokers or
agents gain any information of it, Syud Sultan would be answerable for its