'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [‎114v] (228/344)

208
[Part VI—Chap. XLIV,
decided on a point of apparently sucli minor importance. I had however mentioned in tbat
communication that I possessed no instructions from the Government, but that I would
make a reference to Bombay on the subject. Under these circumstances, and especially referring'
to his promise ^iven to my Assistant Captain Edmunds that he would take no steps in regard
to placing himself under the authority or protection of any foreign Power without first com-
muoicating with the British 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. , 1 said that I did not think the Shaik had acted
either so openly or fairly as he ought to have done, considering the intimate nature of his
relations with the British Government, in having entered into an engagement with Khorshid
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. without first giving us specific notice of his intimation to do so. In reply to my
observations the Shaik said that he considered the object of his writing the letter referred to
was sufficiently explicit, that on the receipt of the reply informing him that he himself was
the best judge as to the expediency or otherwise of sending one of his relations to Lahsah,
he had given up all hopes of either support or Hssistance from the British, that considering
himself thus left to his own unassisted resources, and finding himself threatened with a war
with Aboothabee, his trade harassed by the aggressions of Esa-bin-Tareef, his Bed win
subjects on the main going over in great numbers to Khorshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who was then threaten
ing an invasion, considering moreover the difficulty of defending Bahrein from an attack
if made from the opposite coast, there being many places where in a few hours a fleet of 3
hundred boats could make its way across, without the possibility of being approached by either
ship or bugla Large trading vessel. on account of the shallow water and numerous shoals : taking, he repeated, all
these circumstances into consideration, he thought his own interests were best consulted by
his agreeing to pay the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. so trifling a sum, as little more than 2,000 dollars a year, to
secure the iutegrity of his own territories, and the undisturbed possession of his own authority
over them, as it had been expressly stipulated by him that no agents of the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. were to
reside in Bahrein. I replied, that the Shaik had entered into a very serious engagement,
which by binding him to consider the friends and enemies of Khorshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. as his own
might for aught he knew place him sooner or later in hostile relations with the British Gov
ernment, and therefore as it was opposed to the spirit of the first article of our Treaty with
the pacificated Arabs, which pledged him as one of its members to the maintenance of a lasting
peace with the English, I felt certain that my own Government would not sanction it, and
therefore I considered it my duty to hand him a distinct protest again>t it. The Shaik after
having read this protest which is nearly the same
r tho , rvr hi ^, * a<Ivisable
from Bahrein, to send to xLhorshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. and of which a
copy and translation is now enclosed for the
information of the Government' Again expressed his regret that he had not been
made sufficiently aware before that the support of the British Government would
have been afforded him, but that after having written the letter he had referred
to, he did not think that any blame could attach to him. On my pointing out
that upwards of three months had elapsed between the date of the communication
in question, and that of the engagement he had entered into with the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ,
in which interval his interview with Captain Edmunds, and the visit of Rear-Ad miral
Mairland, must have made him quite aware of the views of the English Government with
reference to the proceedings of that personage, he replied that the engagement alluded to
had been negotiated before the arrival of the Wellesley, and the date actually affixed, only
marked the period when it was finally ratified. The Shaik adverting to my remark touching
the possibility of his engagement with the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. placing him in hostile relations with us,
observed that such a contingency could never occur; it was true, he added, that he had been
compelled by the pressure of circumstances, for his own preservation, to make certain arrange
ments, but that on the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. calling upon him at any time to act in opposition to the views
of the British Government he should always consider it quite a sufficient reply that he
had been forbidden compliance by us. Upon my pressing this point further, he said that
both himself and every other Arab detested being at all connected with, or coming under the
rule of the Egyptians, and that if the British Government would give him a distinct and
written pledge, to protect him, and his, from all attacks and aggressions of Khorshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
and the Arab tribes connected with him, that he would drop all further connexion with the
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and intimating that we had disapproved of the agreement he had entered into, avow
himself a dependent of Great Britain, In my asking the Shaik to give me a few lines to the
above effect, to enable me to submit them to the authorities in India, he declined doing so,
saying that for the present at least he had got rid of a pressing evil by a comparatively
trifling sacrifice and he would not therefore give a document which might seriously commit
himself, until he received the fullest and most satisfactory assurances from the Government
of its protection, and even then, he said, that to preserve his own consistency, he must
decline compliance with the terms of his agreement with the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. upon the grounds, that
they were displeasing to us. Towards the conclusion of the interview when I remarked to
the Shaik that he appeared more inclined to connect himself with the Egyptian than the
British Government, he seemed alarmed and altered his tone, saying, that he
rejoiced beyond measure to find that the encroachments of Khorshid Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. in this direction
were so displeasing to England and that were this generally known among the Maritime
Arabs and Bcdowins it would diffuse universal joy—that nothing! but the skill with which
the Egyptian Commander had availed himself of the unhappy feuds and divisions among the
tribes could have enabled him to establish himself in Central Arabia, with such a compara
tively small force, but that in the event of Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. suffering any check or defeat from