Letter no.9A of 1854 from Captain Arnold Kemball, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to Henry Anderson, Secretary to the Government of Bombay

Content

The letter and its enclosures relate to the retrieval of slaves from and the payment of fines by the shaikhs of Charrack [Bandar-e Chārak], Kelat and Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] on the Persian coast. Kemball writes that fines totalling 3,055 keroons [qirans] have been successfully exacted from the three shaikhs, and will be passed to the Persian Commissioner. Kemball also writes that eight out of the ten slaves at Bandar-e Chārak had been surrendered, adding that Shaikh Hassan of Bandar-e Chārak insists the other two slaves have died.

The following enclosures are included with Kemball’s letter:

1. Letter 4B of 1854 (folios 382-83) from Kemball to Commodore George Robinson, Commanding Officer Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Squadron, dated 5 September 1854, in which Kemball requests that Robinson proceed to Bandar-e Chārak to apply pressure on Shaikh Hassan with regard to his fine. Kemball writes that, of the eight slaves surrendered by Shaikh Hassan, he suspects two have been replaced by older individuals, whose financial value is lower than the younger slaves.

2. Letter no.148 of 1854 (folio 384) from Robinson to Kemball, dated 23 September 1854. Robinson’s letter is a covering letter, enclosing a further letter (folios 385-86) addressed to himself from Lieutenant Crane, Commanding Officer of the Honourable Company’s schooner Constance , dated 11 September 1854. Crane’s letter is a report of his successful expedition to Bandar-e Chārak to retrieve the fine of 200 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. from Shaikh Hassan.

3. Letter no.6B of 1854 (folio 387) from Kemball to Robinson, dated 23 September 1854. Kemball’s letter is a subtle warning to Robinson of the importance of not detaining shaikhs on board British vessels, as happened with Shaikh Hassan of Bandar-e Chārak, on the event of his refusal to cooperate with British officials. Kemball writes that such practice could deter the region’s shaikhs from boarding British vessels in future.

Extent and format

8 folios

It is part of

'Vol 195 1854/55 Bahrain; Arab Coast and Muscat; Slave Trade'

806 images

Ref: IOR/R/15/1/143

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Letter

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/143, ff 380-387

History of this record

Date(s)

25 Sep 1854 (CE, Gregorian)

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Letter no.9A of 1854 from Captain Arnold Kemball, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to Henry Anderson, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/143, ff 380-387, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024051557.0x00006c> [accessed 8 February 2025]

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