'Memorandum on the Drafts of Despatches regarding the Affairs of Muscat and Zanzibar' [‎30v] (10/24)

them, in the course of their aggressions against
Muscat, had cruelly put to death, in cold blood,
several Hindoo traders, non-combatant British
subjects, living and trading in Muscat territory.
Colonel Pelly, the British Resident in the Persian
Gulf, consequently not only urged the Government
of Muscat to repel and punish the aggressors, but
asked the Officer commanding Her Majesty's
ship “ Highflyer ” to aid with the ships under his
command.
In attacking the small fort of Demaun, near
Khatiff, the boats of the “Highflyer” were repulsed,
with the loss of four men killed, and several
wounded.
The Sultan of Muscat was, about the same time,
treacherously assassinated by his son Salim, who
had become imbued with Wahabee doctrines, and
who, in the absence of the army and its Com
mandant, his uncle Toorkee, and of the British
Resident, succeeded in seizing the palace, the
capital, and such treasure and military stores as
they contained.
On these circumstances being reported, the
Government of India expressed a general disap
proval of all that had been done by the Resident.
I have not at hand the demi-official letter which
thd Viceroy wrote at the same time, but it was
very much to the same effect as his later letter
of April 21st, extracts from which will be found
below.
The following letter, dated Bombay, March 23d,
1866, contains the views which I submitted to the
Viceroy in reply :—
“ I have been very carefully thinking over what
you say about Muscat affairs in your letter to me of
the 12th, as well as in the official Despatch, and
there are one or two points on which I am afraid I
can hardly agree with you.
“ The repulse at Demaun was certainly very
annoying, and the loss of the four brave fellows
killed a very lamentable and, it may be said, a very
useless expenditure of valuable life. But, in appor
tioning the blame, I think you should consider that
the season for naval operations was drawing to a
close; that the Admiralty peremptorily forbade the
retention of ships in the Gulf after the hot weather
set in; and that, if the navy was to do anything, it
was necessary to do it quickly.
“ Of course, if Colonel Pelly had been on board
[the “ Highflyer,”] the information would have been
better, the reconnoitring more complete, and the
attack would probably have succeeded, with, pos
sibly, no loss ; but is Colonel Pelly to blame for not
going with the “ Highflyer ” ?
“ I certainly think not. He could not be in two
places at once, and he was much more wanted at
Muscat and with the Sultan than up the Gulf. The
naval operations were merely auxiliary; the main
object was to rouse the Sultan to use his own very