IOR/R/15/1/103

The volume contains copies of letters sent by Captain Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire, mainly to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, in 1844.

The letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to the British Government of Bombay often contain or enclose separately, copies of other pertinent correspondence received or sent by the Resident. These are mostly regular intelligence reports from the British Government Native Agents at Bahrain, Muscat and elsewhere and occasional letters from or to local Arab rulers about military conflict, maritime treaty infractions and dispute resolution. All copies of the Resident’s Arabic correspondence with native agents, ruling sheikhs and others are in the form of English translations, there are no Arabic originals or copies in the volume.

The correspondence in the volume discusses events in the Persian Gulf in 1844, predominantly in relation to slavery, piracy, conflicts between the rulers and inhabitants of the Trucial Coast Sheikdoms, especially civil war in Bahrain and the implications for British foreign policy, relations and interests in the region. Typical contents include:

• Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to Captain Nott, Senior Indian Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf, Lieutenant A Macdonald, Mr W H Litchfield commanding the Honourable Company schooner Emily and other British officers in the Persian Gulf Squadron, providing them with cruising instructions for their regular patrols of both the Arabian and Persian coasts of the Gulf (folios 4, 10-11 and others);
• Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to Colonel Justin Sheil, British Chargé d’Affaires at the Court of the Shah of Persia, about the building of new fortifications at Bushire by the Persian Government, investigations into the charges of maladministration made by local Persian authorities against Hajee Yacoob, the British Government Native Agent in charge of the British coal depot on Karrack [Kharg] Island and other matters relating to British relations with Persia (folios 5, 14, 24-28 and others);
• Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay about his adherence to the British policy of non-interference in the civil war in Bahrain and enclosing English translations of his correspondence with ex-Sheikh Abdoollah bin Ahmed of Bahrain, requesting the help of the British Government to repossess Bahrain and Syed Soweynee, Governor of Muscat, requesting the approval of the British Government for his support to Sheikh Mahomed bin Khuleefa, the new defacto ruler of Bahrein (folios 5-8, 18-20 and others);
• Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay about the results of further investigations into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the wrecked British merchant brig Mary Mallaby, which ran aground at Bunder Abbass [Bandar Abbass] in July 1843 and enclosing English translations of letters from Khojah Reuben, British Government Native Agent at Muscat, reporting inquiries made of a witness to the behaviour of Mr W Fisher, the master of the Mary Mallaby (folios 21-22 and others).