IOR/P/770

This volume contains the Proceedings of the Political branch of the Foreign Department of the Government of India for the months of September to December 1873. These Proceedings comprise copies of correspondence of the Government of India Foreign Department (renamed Foreign and Political Department in 1914).

The subjects covered include:

• Affairs in and around the Aden Settlement, including: A dispute between the Foodhlee [Faḍlī] and Yaffaee [Yāfi‘] tribes regarding payment for water (181-182, September Proceedings); a gift of 2500 dollars granted to the Sultan of Lahej by the Government of India (113-118, October Proceedings); agreement by the Government of India to pay for the maintenance of formerly enslaved children at the Good Shepherd Convent in Aden (323-334, October Proceedings); clarification of the extent of the jurisdiction of the Resident at Aden (391, October Proceedings)

• Affairs in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, including: an advance paid to the Sultan of Muscat by the Government of India (5-6, September Proceedings); the unsuccessful siege of Gwadur [Gwadar] by Abdool Azeez [Sayyid ‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin Saʿīd Āl Bū Sa‘īd], brother of the Sultan of Muscat, and his capture and detainment by the British Royal Navy (11-25, 367-387, September Proceedings, 294, October Proceedings); attempts made by the Sultan of Muscat and the British Government to prevent further rebellions by the Sultan’s relatives (44-52, 53-65, December Proceedings); the capture of Gwadur by Syud Salim [Sayyid Sālim bin Thuwaynī Āl Bū Sa‘īd] (156-168, December Proceedings); rumours of a Turkish [Ottoman] plan to occupy the fort at Bereymee [Al Buraymi] (61-64, September Proceedings); the capture and occupation of Sohar [Suhar] by the Sultan of Muscat’s army (67-77, September Proceedings); an unsuccessful rebellion against the Sultan of Muscat led by Saleh bin Ali [Ṣāliḥ bin ‘Alī] (70-71, October Proceedings); the murder of Syud Thoweynee bin Mahomed [Sayyid Thuwaynī bin Muḥammad], an advisor to the Sultan of Muscat (99-100, October Proceedings); an agreement recognising the jurisdiction of the Political Agent and Consul at Muscat over Indian subjects in the Sultan of Muscat’s domains (218-220, October Proceedings); the sale of enslaved persons to a Turkish naval officer at Muscat (502-505, October Proceedings); relations between the Sultan and various tribes residing in his territory, the movements of two Turkish warships, and the activities of notable individuals (16-20, November Proceedings, 112-113, December Proceedings); ratification of a treaty for the suppression of the trade in enslaved people by the Sultan of Muscat and the British Government (4-10, December Proceedings); payment of the Zanzibar subsidy to the Sultan of Muscat (150-152, December Proceedings); arrangements made for the marriage of the Sultan of Muscat’s daughter (153-154, December Proceedings)

• Affairs in the Persian Gulf, including: ‘Maritime tranquillity’ in the Persian Gulf following a visit of the Political Resident (78-79, September Proceedings); steps taken by the Government of India to encourage the study of Persian and Arabic by political officers (395-402, September Proceedings); a complaint made by the Turkish Government about a British survey party on the Khateef [Qatif] Coast (58-63, October Proceedings); the activities of Turkish vessels and personnel in the Persian Gulf, including robberies committed by Turkish troops at Guttur [Qatar] and Biddeh [Al Bidda] (72-74, 434-435, October Proceedings, 105-108, 146-149, December Proceedings); a request for British protection made by Saood bin Feysul [Sa‘ūd bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd], the Imam of Nejd [Najd] (437-441, October Proceedings); British naval activities in the Persian Gulf (523-524, October Proceedings, 144-145, December Proceedings); fighting between the Beni Hajir [Banū Hājir] and Umair [Banū ‘Umayr] tribes near Khateef, and relief of Turkish troops at Hassa [Al Hasa] (6-15, November Proceedings); a request made by Sheikh Zaid-bin-Khuliah [Shaikh Zāyid bin Khalīfah Āl Nahyān] of Aboothabee [Abu Dhabi] for permission from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to attack the inhabitants of Odeyd [Khawr al Udayd] (97-111, November Proceedings); conflict between the ‘chiefs’ of Aboothabee, Shargah [Sharjah], and Ras-ul-Khymah [Ra’s al-Khaymah] (2-3, December Proceedings); claims made to the ownership of Guttur by the Shaikh of Bahrein [Bahrain] and the Ottoman Empire (411-428, December Proceedings)

• Affairs in Persia [Iran] including: intelligence received from the Native Agent at Shiraz (34-36, 280-281, September Proceedings); concerns expressed by the Russian Government regarding a visit made to Persia by a British officer (267-268, September Proceedings); arrangements made by the Russian Government for the conveyance of manumitted enslaved persons from the Khanate of Khiva to Persia (26-29, September Proceedings, 115, December Proceedings); the Shah of Persia's arrival at Meshed [Mashhad] (271-272, September Proceedings); enquiry made by an agent of Baron de Reuter regarding the customs administration of southern Persia (274-279, September Proceedings); discussion of the potential application of the Foreign Jurisdiction Act to Persia (309-313, September Proceedings); examination of coal from the Bakhtiaree [Bakhtiyārī] Hills for its potential use as fuel (392-394, September Proceedings); an attack on Captain William Guthrie near the village of Emamzadah [Emamzadeh], subsequent efforts by Persian and British authorities to capture the perpetrators, and the recovery of some of the belongings stolen during the attack (75-98, October Proceedings, 21-22, November Proceedings, 274-288, December Proceedings); the removal and replacement of key Persian Government officials (131-134, 313-336, December Proceedings); public reaction in Persia to news of the Shah’s reception during his visit to England (403-404, October Proceedings); attacks made on Persian subjects in the vicinity of Asterabad [Gorgan] by ‘Turcomans’ (116-117, December Proceedings); and an attack on members of the Akhal [Akhal Tekke] tribe made by the Governor of Boojnoord [Bojnord] (405-406, October Proceedings)

• Affairs in Turkish Arabia [Ottoman Iraq] including: rumoured migration of members of the Kurdish Jaf tribe from Ottoman territory to Persia (9, September Proceedings); arrival of the newly appointed Ottoman Governor-General of Irak [Iraq] at Baghdad (10, September Proceedings); transfer of the naval stores of HMS Comet from Maaghil [Al Ma’qil] to a new depot near Busrah [Basra] (65-66, September Proceedings); ); the renting of the naval depot at Maaghil from the Government of India by Messrs Lynch and Company (91-92, November Proceedings); a report on bitumen found at Harbool [Erbil] (55-57, October Proceedings prohibition of the export of horses from Turkish Arabia by the Ottoman Government (209-211, November Proceedings); a skirmish between Persian and Ottoman troops near Khanikeen [Khanaqin] (118-121, December Proceedings); intelligence regarding communications between the Ottoman authorities in Baghdad and Abdoollah bin Feysul [‘Abdullāh bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] (122, December Proceedings); an announcement made by the Ottoman Government that all vessels calling at Ottoman ports must obtain a visa from an Ottoman consul (294-298, December Proceedings).

The Proceedings also cover:

• Financial, judicial, and military administration in British India
• Claims to lands and titles in British India
• Relations between the Government of India and members of the ruling families of the Princely States
• The diary of the British Joint Commissioner in Ladakh
• A report on the inadequate condition of the Kotah State, and proposals for reforming its administration
• Consular appointments by foreign nations
• Arrangements made for the official delineation of the boundaries between the British Raj, Nipal [Nepal], and Burma
• The establishment of inspections aboard river steamers between Rangoon [Yangon] and Mandalay to prevent the smuggling of arms
• Events in Afghanistan, Burma, Nepal, Thibet [Tibet], and the Red Sea
• Trade routes between Burma and China
• The Qing Government’s capture of Tali [Dali], and the financial affairs of the family of Du Wenxiu, leader of the Panthay Rebellion
• The destruction of ten dhows off the coast of Yemen by HMS Thetis.

The volume contains the following maps:

• Two copies of a sketch of the city of Tali, including its fortifications (f 278, f 291)
• Sketch of portion of the Naga Frontier (f 419)
• Map showing route from Tezpore [Tezpur] to eastern boundary of Durrung [Darrang] (f 455)
• Map showing the Durrung and Luckimpore [Lakhimpur] districts (f 466).

Material written in French appears on folios 91, 299, 300, 654, 782, and 783. A muster roll of patients written in Urdu appears on folio 390, and a treaty written in Burmese appears on folio 809.

Tabular Statements of matters of routine for each month are included at the end of the volume. These summarise documents that were not considered important enough by the Foreign Department to be sent to London.