'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎309] (328/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
309
But the quondam peacemaker now became the disturber, and,
towards the end of 1857, the Abdali began plundering the
supplies coming from Bir Ahmed to Aden, and all efforts to
induce Sultan Ali to award compensation proved futile, his
replies to the remonstrances of Brigadier Coghlan being a curious
compound of insolence, recrimination, and subterfuge. About
the middle of January, 1858, Sultan Ali wrote a kind of
circular letter, copies of which were sent to Captain Playfair,
and several officers of the Aden garrison, charging the Aden
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. with disregard of treaty obligations, injustice, op
pression, and support of his enemies, and concluding with a
menace that not having received a direct reply from u our friend.
Lord Elphinstone," then Governor of Bombay, he had deter
mined "to keep his people from entering Aden, and to close his
country till the Government shall come to its senses." This
menacing despatch he followed up by plundering the Foudtheli,
and refused a demand for restitution made by the British
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , who, at length, broke off all communication
with him, and discontinued the payment of his stipend. Ali
Mahsin, on his part, retaliated by prohibiting his tribe from
sending any supplies into Aden, and seized several kafilahs of
coffee and grain, the property of Aden merchants, after having
exacted a transit duty upon them. Subsequently, about the
beginning of March, he occupied in force the fort and village of
Sheikh Othman, distant a few miles from the isthmus line of
works, and so situated as to command all the roads leading into
Aden, and, in order to distress the garrison and shipping,
which were to a great extent supplied with water from this
place, he filled up all the wells, except such as were required
for his own people. As such a state, of things could no longer
be tolerated, the Brigadier assumed the character of a soldier,
and, conciliatory measures having failed to bring the recal
citrant Arab chief to terms, determined to have recourse to arms.
As soon as it was known that an Expedition was projected
against Lahej, the crew of the 6 Elphinstone,' then quartered on
shore at Steamer Point wrote and despatched the following
letter, or " round robin," to Brigadier Coghlan, the original of
which we have now lying before us, signed by "all hands,"
whose honest Saxon names are familiar to us as those of
shipmates
" Honoured Sir,—We, the 4 Elphinstone's ' crew, having
heard that there is to be an Expedition against Lahej, humbly
beg that you will kindly allow us to serve with the forces (as
many of our comrades are doing in India) where we flatter our
selves we might be of use in working the field-pieces or else as
infantry, and. Sir, if you will kindly have the kindness to grant
our humble petition, we will ever pray for your health and
prosperity.