'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [‎58r] (115/344)

Part V—Chap. XXV.
95
12. To prevent any delay in tbe communication of the decision of His Excellency
Ibrahim Panha that can be avoided, Captain Sadlier has been directed, in the event of his
being enabled to do so, to join you on your arrival in the Gulph and deliver to you any
despatches he may have received from His Excellency to the address of this Government,
and also to communicate to you such information of His Excellency's designs as he may
have obtained for the regulation of your conduct.
18, You will perceive that, under the views of the Supreme Government, the possession
of any other places than Ras-ul-Khima by the Turkish force, has not been contempluted, nor
are you, without further instructions, to facilitate tbe placing any other of the piratical
ports under His Excellenoy^s authority.
14. Until some decision be foimed respecting the disposal of Ras -ul-Khima, it would not
appear advisable to demolish the town, nor even its defences, beyond what may be the effect
of your operations to reduce it,
15. In the communications which passed between Captain Sadlier and the Imam of
Muscat you will perceive that His Highness expressed some degree of reluctance in co-operating
toith the Turkish force in the reduction of Rasselkhima ; but whatever may be the wishes
of the Turkish Government with respect to the ultimate possession of that place, or the
motives by which tbe Imam was disposed to withhold bis co-operation with those troops,
there seems no probability that any portion of them will be brought into contact with those
of His Highness, which consequently will remove all the objections to a hearty co-operation
with you, which his inclination would, the Governor in Council is disposed to believe, other
wise most readily leads him to undertake.
16. Besides the principal port of Rassul-Khima, there are several ports contiguous to it
from Rumysto Abbo Heyle as laid down in the chart, now transmitted t ) you, tbe maritime
force of which, as appertaining to the same piratical state, or by acting in concert with it,
may be considered equally objects for consideration. If therefore after securing the possession
of Ras-ul-Khima you shall learn that any piratical vessels are at eitiier of those places, you
will proceed to each of them respectively, and exert your best endeavours to burn or other
wise destroy them,
17. It has not been distinctly ascert lined whether either of th^se places have recently
submitted to the authority of Ibrahim Pacha, but should any of thern at tbe time of your
arrival be in possession of the Turkish troops, any operations agdnst them should of courgs
be avoided, unless any of tbe piratical vessels may have taken shelter within theui and are
without the reach of such troops.
18. In addition to the ports above described on the Arabian Coast, it is understood that
the inhabitants of the port of Lingua and other places on the Persian shore have in a
certain degree identified themselves with the Joassmee and have committed depredations on
the trade,
19. The instructions to Mr. Jukes, who, as you are already apprized, has proceeded to
the Gulph, and the letters with which he has beeu charged, copies of which accompany this,
will explain to you the proceedings which have been adopted in respect to those places, and
though from the date they bear no reply can yet be expected from the Prince of Sherans to
the invitation transmitted to His Highness, it is hoped that the explanations afforded to
him of the real objects of our solicitude, even should His Highness hesitate in co-operating
with the force under your commands in their destruction, will obviate any inclination he
might otherwise feel to oppose your operations against the piratical force that may be found
within them.
20. The reply of His Highness to the letter addressed to him on this subject will
probably reach you before you shall be prepared to proceed to the Persian shore, and you
will in a certain degree be regulated by it in yoor intended o\)Q\-&i\on9, butin any case yon
must not hesitate in proceeding to the destruction of the pirates on that side of the Gulph
wherever you may ascertain them to exist, taking care to proceed in all such eases with the
utmost practicable respect towards the undisputed rights of His Persian Majesty, the ally
of our august Sovereign, and to cause it to be fully explained to such of the officers of the
Persian Government with whom, in the course of events, you may be brought in communication
that the British Government has no other object than to protect the commercial intercourse
toith the coast of Persia and other ports of the Gulph, and to free it from the obstructions
and losses to which it has too long been exposed from tbe predatory acts of the piratical tribes,
without the slightest intention of occupying any part of the territory, or to molest or annoy
any one of His Persian Majesty's loyal subjects, who in consideration of the friendly relations
existing between the two countries, it is our earnest desire to cherish and protect.
21. The ports to which the pirates resort in addition to Lingua are specified in the
margin,
22. You will receive herewith a triplicate of a letter from tbe President to the Prince
of Sherans, which it is left to you to forward, or to make such other use of, as circumstances
may reader expedient. A translation of that letter forms an enclosure to the instructions to
Mr, Jukes and a Persian copy is enclosed, the possession of which will enable you to make
such communication to the local authorities as may preclude the possibility of any mi*-
conetructions of tbe views entertained by the British Government in the course of your
proceedings against tbe piratical force in question.