IOR/R/15/1/130, f 318-23

Covering letter with a number of enclosures:

1) Duplicate letter no.8 of 1852 (ff 319-20) from Major Atkins Hamerton, Her Majesty's Consul and the Honourable Company's Agent in the dominions of His Highness the Imam of Muscat, to Arthur Malet, Chief Secretary of the Government Bombay, dated 19 April 1852. Hamerton writes of his uneasy relationship with the native agent at Muscat, Khojeh Hiskael, with particular reference to a recent incident in which Hiskael prevented the former customs master at Muscat from boarding a boat for Cutch. Hamerton states that the incident caused great offence to the Imam's people and the inhabitants of Muscat;

2) Copy letter (f 321) from Hamerton to Heskue bin Eusoph [Khojeh Hiskael], Honourable Company's Agent at Muscat, dated 30 March 1852. Hamerton reprimands the native agent Hiskael for giving orders to the former customs master at Muscat without sanction. Hamerton describes the action as an insult to His Highness the Imam, and highly disrespectful towards himself;

3) Translation of a letter (ff 322-23) from Heskiel bin Eusoph [Khojeh Hiskael] to Hamerton, dated 1 April 1852. Hiskael writes to defend his actions, insisting that his decision to prevent the former customs master from boarding a boat for Cutch, was because of a claim made against him to the value of one hundred dollars.