'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [‎51r] (101/344)

Part IV—Chap. XXIII.
of the inefficiency of our occasionally reserved and qualified authority over eithei single
officers or bodies, acting at the same time under a superior power, and as from the nature of
things similar consequences must we apprehend be always more or less contemplatea; we
feel so far an interest that the arrangements now to be determined should be calculated, as
far as possible, to avoid a prejudicial collision of authorities, in whichever channel it may be
thought most beneficial for the public service that it should be exercised.
192. In March 1810 Mr. N. H. Smith, Resident at Bushire, who was about
to proceed to Maskat on duty, appointed Lieutenant William Bruce his assistant pp 2290 and 2i33.
to take charge of the duties o£ Eesident during his absence. Soon after,
however. Lieutenant Bruce was ordered by General Malcolm to proceed up
country, with the Persian mission, and left Mr. S. Babington in charge of the
Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. .
193. In his letter dated 1st May 1810, Mr. Smith informed the Bombay im, p. 2334.
Government, that the pernicious effect of the climate of Maskat obliged him to
resign all further charge of the duties of that station. In these circumstances
the following Resolution was recorded by the Bombay Government on 9th
May 1810:—
In consequence of Mr. Smith's relinquishment of the station of Muscat, the appointment
of Messrs. Babington and Williams as assistants to the latter in the Political Department at
Bushire and Muscat must of course be dissolved; and as Mr. Bruce who has so long acted as
assistant to the Commercial Resident at Bushire, from which he cannot be removed without
undue hardship or some fault on his part, constituted an establishment quite equal to all the
purposes of the existing or even the prospective views of the Hon'ble Company, as to any
extent of trade that can be carried on in the Gulph on their account; it appears under these
circumstances necessary to revert to that part of the original instructions to Captain Wam-
wrioht and to Colonel Smith, which had for object to provide a more healthy station for the
residence of the person or persons who might be destined to have the future superintendence ot
the Company's concerns at Muscat, in which view these officers are now to be requested by the
Secretary to report the result of their enquiries and observations.
Meanwhile, it should be communicated to Mr. Babington and Mr. Williams that although
thev are no longer to consider themselves as Assistants at Bushire than to the end of April
last, vet they might remain there and the former perform the duties of that Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. as
committed to him by General Malcolm and Mr. Bruce, till further orders.
It is in the meanwhile to be earnestly enjoined to these gentlemen to qualify themselves
fully during their abode at Bushire for future employment in the Gulph by acquiring a
thorough and practical knowledge both of Persian and Arabic.