IOR/L/PS/5/392, ff 58-172

This part of the volume consists of enclosures to a despatch from the Government of Bombay Secret Department to the Secret Committee, Number 13 of 1841, dated 28 February 1841. The enclosures are dated 18 February 1840 to 28 February 1841, and relate to the Persian Gulf and Zanzibar.

The enclosures mostly consist of copies of correspondence between the Secretary to the Government of Bombay (John Pollard Willoughby) and the following: the Resident in the Persian Gulf (Captain Samuel Hennell); the Superintendent of the Indian Navy (Captain Robert Oliver); the Secretary to the Government of India (Thomas Herbert Maddock); and the British Agent at Muscat (Captain Atkins Hamerton).

The correspondence concerns matters including:

• The suggestion of the Resident in the Persian Gulf that the European troops at Karrack [Kharg], should be removed from the Island and accommodated on shipboard during the hot season for health reasons, and the probable expense which would be incurred if this suggestion were adopted
• The British Agent at Muscat having arranged a passage to Bombay for the Chief of Sohar (Saied Hamood bin Azan) and his party, in the interests of maintaining good relations between the Chief of Sohar and the Imaum [Imam] of Muscat
• The disapproval of the Government of Bombay of the transfer, at the suggestion of the Resident in the Persian Gulf, of a portion of the European crew of the East India Company’s steam ship Berenice to vessels of the Indian Naval Squadron in the Persian Gulf, in contradiction of orders given by the Superintendent of the Indian Navy to the Commander of the Berenice
• The British Agent at Muscat proceeding to Zanzibar, and requesting permission to employ a writer and interpreter whilst on the mission to Zanzibar
• The opinion of the Resident in the Persian Gulf as to whether it was still necessary for a Native Agent to be employed at Muscat, in addition to the European officer appointed British Agent at Muscat.

In addition, this part also includes the following:

• Extracts of letters from the Native Agent at Shargah [Sharjah] (Moollah Hoossain), reporting on events which had recently taken place on the Arabian Coast, principally concerning relations between Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur [Shaikh Sulṭān bin Saqr Āl Qāsimī] of Sharjah, his son Suggur, and Shaikh Mukhtoom of Debay [Shaikh Maktoum bin Bati ibn Suhayl of Dubai]
• Intelligence received from the Native Agent at Muscat (Rubil bin Aslan) about the state of affairs in Muscat (also spelled Muskat)
• Intelligence received from the News Writer at Shiraz (Meerza Riza) and other sources about events in Persia [Iran].