IOR/R/15/1/114

The file contains letters received by Major Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, Bushire.

The majority of letters are naval patrol reports submitted to the Resident by the following British officers in the Persian Gulf Squadron of the Indian Navy: Captain William Lowe, Commodore Thomas Grere Carless and Lieutenant Alan Hyde Gardner, all reporting from the Honourable Company (HC) sloop of war Elphinstone and Commodore John Croft Hawkins, reporting from the HC sloop of war Clive. There is also a naval patrol report made by Lieutenant James Rennie, commanding the HC schooner Constance, to Commodore Thomas Grere Carless, commanding the Persian Gulf Squadron.

The naval patrol reports describe the state of relations between the Arab Chiefs of the Trucial Coast Sheikhdoms and any violations of the Maritime Truce, based on observation, enquiry, meetings and other communications while on patrol along the Arabian and Persian coasts of the Persian Gulf.

The file also contains letters received from Lieutenant Colonel Francis Farrant, British Chargé d’Affaires at the Court of the Shah of Persia, Tehran regarding Persian affairs. This correspondence includes Persian transcripts of two firmans (royal decrees) issued by the Shah of Persia to the Governors of Fars and Persian Arabia respectively, prohibiting any future importation by sea of African slaves into Persia.