"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٥‎٢‎٦] (١٧٨٢/١٦٨١)

Revival of
piracy, 1901-
im.
Cessatiou of
piracy, 1897'
1900.
1526
by those under their authority, and that in doubtful cases reparation
would be exacted from the inhabitants of both banks ; but, though
representations in this sense were made to the Wali of Basrah by
Mi. Wiatislaw, If' 1 ! Britannic Majestry's Consul, it is uncertain whethei
the desired steps were taken by the Wilayat.
For three years, from the end of 1897 to the end of 1900, there was
a complete cessation of piracy in the Shatt-el-'Arab. In each year at
least one British gunboat remained more or less continuously in the
river during the season of date exportation ; and her presence was no
doubt the chief cause, directly and indirectly, of the improved state of
affairs.
When piracy began again in 1901, the methods of the pirates had
changed. From that year onwards outrages were mostly confined to the
slack season, when no British gunboat was at hand; and they occurred
chiefly on the bar outside the river, over which the Turkish and Persian
authorities maintained little or no surveillance.
1 he hist puacy on the Shatt-el- Arab after 1897 was committed on
the 27th January 1901 on the "Husaini" a Bahrain boat, while she
was lying aground off Ma'amir upon the Turkish side of the river; the
loss in property on this occasion was considerable, but there were no
fatalities. The next case happened on the bar of the Shatt-el-'Arab on
the "ith iSovcmber 1901, when the " Yasmin a sailing-vessel owned b/
a Khojah British subject of Bandar 'Abbas, was attacked by a Ballara
containing 20 pirates; after the boat had been plundered she was
abandoned by the crew from fear of a second attack, but she was
recovered again in the neighbourhood of Kharag Island. The third
nctim in 1901 was the British Indian Ghunchah " Padarath," which was
pillaged on the bar on the 27th of December. The offenders in these
three cases were stated to be Ka'ab Arabs under the leadership of one
Khalaif of laddaghiyah in Lurkish territory; but, though a corre
spondence took place between the Wali of Basrah and the Shaikh of
Muhammareh, none of them were brought to justice.
On the 8th April 1902 the 14 Fath-al-Khair " of Bahrain was
attacked, also on the bar, and looted; one of her people was wounded;
and the crew were kept prisoners for two days and compelled to give up
their cash, which they had secreted. Immediately after, a Bushehr
Mashwa was plundered, probably by the same gang, who were said to
be residents of i3orah and Faddaghiyah on the Turkish bank of the
Shatt-el- Arab. On the 2/th May the " Hussaini " of Kuwait, which
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