Mss Eur F126/43

The letterbook contains copies of letters from Lewis Pelly to colleagues in the Persian Gulf, India and England, on a number of subjects relating to the role and responsibilities of the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf including the Residency's relations with Persia, its role in keeping the maritime peace and arbitration of disputes, and the growth of trade in the region, as well as British interest in local trades such as pearling.

The main correspondence is with the Government of Bombay, including letters to both Sir Bartle Frere and Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, the consecutive Governors of Bombay during the period the letterbook covers. This correspondence relates primarily to matters in Muscat, where successive changes in rulership have led to instability, and Bahrain and Qatar where the actions of the tribes in attacking ports and British subjects result in naval action being taken against them by the British authorities.

The residency's relationship with the Persian authorities is also discussed both in correspondence with the Government, and with Charles Alison, the British representative in Tehran as there are a number of decisions by the Persian authorities during this period which restrict both trade through the Persian ports and the residency's ability to communicate with Persian authorities along the Persian coast.

Other matters discussed in the volume include the day to day operations of the residency, with correspondence to James Charles Edwards, the uncovenented assistant resident, as well as with arrival new staff, recently appointed to the Residency to work alongside Pelly including Edward Charles Ross and George Andrew Atkinson at Muscat, Abraham Nickson Hojel at Bushire, Henry W Warner at Gwadar and Alfred Cotton Way as the political agent for the southern Gulf.

Other correspondence of interest includes a number of letters to the commanders of marine vessels in the Gulf, correspondence with individuals involved in the development of telegraph and steamer communications throughout the Gulf, and correspondence with Sir Clement Markham and Sir Roderick Murchison discussing the acquisition of samples of shells, pearls, oysters and rocks both for geological interest and to assist in attempts to refresh the pearl beds in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

The reverse of the volume, which has been turned over, so the writing appears upside down in relation to the folio numbers, contains correspondence relating to Pelly's finances in relation to the collapse of the Bank of Bombay, the liquidation of the Commercial Bank and the establishment of the new Bank of Bombay. The majority of this correspondence is with Messrs Remington & Co and Narayn Wussadeojee, who handled his affairs in Bombay; and Messrs Smith, Elder & Co who handled his affairs in England.

Also included in the volume, on folio 193v, is the address of G Lejean, a Paris restaurateur.