IOR/L/PS/6/692, ff 281-294

This item is a collection to Bombay Political Despatch No. 67 of 21 July 1859, from the Secretary of State for India to the Government of Bombay Political Department (the Political Despatch itself is not included in this item). The collection consists of papers forwarded with the Government of Bombay’s Political Despatch No. 34 of 4 November 1859 to the Secretary of State for India. It comprises correspondence from the Political Resident at Aden to the Secretary to the Government of Bombay, relating to the report of the death of the French Consular Agent at Aden, Monsieur Henri Lambert [also written M Henry Lambert], and his unnamed servant, in a ship wrecked on the voyage from Mokha [Mocha] to Tajourra [Tadjoura]. All other crew members survived. However, the chief merchant of Tajourra communicated by special messenger his belief that the deceased were murdered. The Political Resident at Aden wished to investigate the affair, ‘as the representative of the interests of Christianity and Civilisation in these parts’ (f 286).

As vessels of the Indian Naval Squadron were not available, the Political Resident at Aden requested that the Commander of HMS Furious convey to the African coast the [First] Assistant Political Resident at Aden to investigate all parties without the intervention of an interpreter of Arabic.

Correspondents includes: the Political Resident, Aden; the First Assistant Political Resident at Aden; the Secretary to the Government of Bombay; and the Commander of HMS Furious and Senior Naval Officer of HM Service at Aden.