IOR/L/PS/5/446, ff 277-330

This part of the volume consists of copies of enclosures to a despatch from the Government of Bombay Secret Department to the Secret Committee, Number 122 of 1846, dated 15 October 1846. The enclosures, numbered 3-26 and dated 3 June to 13 October 1846, relate to Persian Gulf affairs.

The enclosures consist of correspondence, and minutes of the Government of Bombay. They concern matters including:

• The intention of the Imaum [Imam] of Muscat to blockade the Port of Bushire [Bushehr] in retaliation for ‘injurious’ actions by Persian [Iranian] authorities against his dependents, following the despatch of a body of troops by the Government of Fars against Bunder Abas [Bandar Abbas] with the object of exacting a large sum of money from the Imaum’s deputy there, the Governor of Bunder Abas, Sheik Syf ben Nubhan [Shaikh Sayf bin Nabhān al-Mu‘awali], and the seizure by the Acting Governor of Bushire, Mirza Hidayul Oollah [Mīrzā Hidāyat Allāh], of six boxes of indigo sent for sale to that port by Syed Mahomed ben Salim [Sayyid Muḥammad bin Sālim], the nephew of the Imaum
• The Resident in the Persian Gulf, Major Samuel Hennell, forwarding a copy a letter from the Imaum of Muscat, Syed Saaed bin Sultan [Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Sulṭān Āl Bū Sa‘īd], enclosing a copy of a proclamation which the Imaum has addressed to Shaik Sultan bin Suggur [Shaikh Sulṭān bin Ṣaqr al-Qāsimī, Ruler of Ra’s al-Khaymah and Sharjah] and the other ‘Maritime Chiefs’ on the Arabian Coast of the Persian Gulf, informing them that their subjects will face the disapprobation of the British Government should they embark ‘slaves’ [enslaved persons] on their vessels, following the conclusion of the agreement (dated 2 October 1845) between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and the Imaum for the suppression of the importation of enslaved persons from the Imaum’s African territories
• The Resident in the Persian Gulf stating that the Native Agent at Sharjah, Moulla Houssein [Mūllah Ḥusayn], has reported that all vessels belonging to the ‘Maritime Arabs’ which had proceeded to the African coast during the last season have returned laden with enslaved persons, and that the ‘Chiefs’ on the coasts of Oman, Batimah [Al Batinah], and Persia have received a circular letter from the Imaum of Muscat to the effect that after that year (1846) none of the ‘Arab Tribes’ are to take away enslaved persons from the Imaum’s territories or embark them in their vessels, otherwise British war ships would seize their cargoes and destroy their vessels
• The arrival of Shaik Musharee [Shaikh Mushārī], the son of Saed bin Mootluck [Sa‘d bin Muṭlaq al-Muṭayrī], at Shargah [Sharjah] and Brymee [Al Buraymi]
• The disposal of the sum of 165 Tomans paid by the ‘Chief’ of Kenn [Kish Island] and Charrack [Bandar-e Charak] as compensation for the treasure belonging to Persian subjects plundered from the schooner Emily after the vessel was wrecked off the coast of Kenn in March 1845, and the failure of that Chief to keep his promise to pay the remainder of the first instalment of 500 Tomans out of a total of 1500 Tomans which he had entered into a written agreement to pay as compensation
• The Resident in the Persian Gulf forwarding a letter from the Governor of Fars, Hoosein Khan [Ḥusayn Khān], requesting the assistance of British vessels of war stationed in the Gulf to punish the ‘piratical’ proceedings of certain ports of the Persian coast and to enforce restitution of property plundered by their inhabitants on several occasions from dependents of the British Government.

The correspondence is mainly between the following: the Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Secretary to the Government of Bombay, Arthur Malet; HM Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Persia, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Justin Sheil; the Governor of Fars; HM Consul and Honourable Company’s Agent in the Dominions of the Imaum of Muscat, Captain Atkins Hamerton; and the Secretary to the Government of India with the Governor-General, Frederick Currie.