IOR/R/15/1/16, ff 12-15

Letter describing in detail a recent incident in which a boat belonging to the Residency was captured:

Bruce had purchased a baghla [buggalow] to communicate with individuals on the other side of the Gulf and it was dispatached on 21 December to Ras-al-Khaima [Ras el Khima]with letters to Sheikh al-Hasan bin Rahma al-Qasami [Hassan ben Rahma], Chief of the Joassemee [Qasimi] and Sultan Sugger [Sultan bin Saqr] at Lingah [Bandar-e-Lengeh].

On delivering the letter to Sultan Sugger the boat had travelled with him to Greater Tunb island [Great Tomb] where the Sultan had wanted to take over control of it. The Sultan was dissuaded but later returned to forcibly remove the dates being used as the boat's ballast and provisions.

The boat continued on to Ras el Khima where it was greeted but once it was under weigh it was stormed by armed men, towed into the harbour and had all its property taken. The noquadah [nakhoda] and some crew escaped in a small boat to the fort of Bokah [Bukha, Oman] from where they were able to return to Bushire.

Bruce describes in the letter his outrage at this breach of trust and suggests that the Board may wish to send a small force to eradicate such piracy. He also encloses a statement as to the military force available to the Sheikh of Ras el Khima [Ras al-Khaimah] which was supplied to him by a native contact.