1. 'Book 140 1843' letters inward

Description:

Abstract: The file contains letters received by Lieutenant Arnold Burrowes Kemball, Assistant British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, who was in charge of the Persian Gulf Residency at Bushire, from August to October 1843. Later letters were received by Captain Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, following his return to the Persian Gulf Residency in November 1843.Most of the letters are from British naval officers in the Persian Gulf Squadron, reporting on maritime affairs along the Trucial Coast. Their letters contain naval patrol reports, local intelligence communicated by the British Government Native Agents Hadjee Jassim and Moolah Hussein, stationed at Bahrein [Bahrain] and Sharga [Sharjah] respectively, also witness statements arising from investigations into two particular incidents, as follows:Several naval patrol reports dated August, September, October and November 1843, from Lieutenant A Macdonald, commanding the East India Company schooner Mahi, from Lieutenant J S Draper, commanding the East India Company sloop of war Cooteand from Commander J P Porter (Senior Indian Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf), commanding the East India Company brig of war Euphrates, mentioning outbreaks of tribal conflict and the state of relations between the sheikhs of Abothubee [Abu Dhabi], Amulgavine [Umm-ul-Kawain], Aymaum [Ajman], Bahrein [Bahrain], Brymee, Debai [Dubai], Sharga [Sharjah] and Ras–al Keyma [Ras Al Khaimah] (folios 2-3, 22-25, 27-28, 31);Other naval reports dated September and October 1843, from Lieutenant J S Draper, mentioning chiefly the Pearl Bank fishery season; particularly the presence of a large fleet of pearl fishing boats from the island of Kenn [Kīsh] (folios 16-17, 21);Special naval reports dated July and September 1843, from Commander J P Porter and Lieutenant A Macdonald, give a detailed account of their investigations into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the wrecked British merchant ship Mary Mallaby, which had sailed from Port Louis, Mauritius in May 1843 and run aground at the port of Bunder Abbass [Bandar Abbas] on the Persian coast of the Gulf, in July 1843, together with extracts from entries in the ship’s log book, transcripts of the oral testimony given by the ship’s crew and master, Captain C Fisher, and an English translation of the oral testimony given by the vizier of the Sheik of Bunder Abbass (folios 4-12, 18-20);Special naval report dated December 1843, from Lieutenant J S Draper, giving a detailed account of the unusual circumstances surrounding the recent discovery of an abducted Indian slave girl living in Bahrain, together with an English translation of Lieutenant Draper’s letter dated November 1843 to the Sheikh of Bahrein, stating that the slave girl was currently under the protection of the British Native Agent, also English translations of the oral testimony given by the slave girl, her alleged brother, the widow of her Arab slave owner and the local Arab inhabitant who encountered the alleged brother on his arrival from Bombay in search of his sister (folios 29, 32-33).There are also three letters dated August and October 1843, from: William H Litchfield, master of the East India Company schooner Emilyabout the sinking of the vessel to eradicate vermin (folio 15); Mr W J A Malcolm, a merchant in Bushire about his knowledge of the history of the struggle between Persian and Turkish authorities to control the frontier port of Mohamrah [Khorramshahr] (folios 13-14); Colonel Justin Sheil, the British Minister at Tehran, reporting his conversation with Hajee Meerza Aghassee [Haji Mirza Aghasi], the Persian Prime Minister about Persia’s intention to intervene militarily in the internal power struggle in Bahrain (folio 26).Physical description: Foliation: numbered 2-10, 11, 11A, 12-33, from the front to the back of the file. The numbering is written in pencil on the recto, in the top right corner and encircled. The front of the file cover is numbered 1 and the back of the file cover is unnumbered. Folios 10 and 11 are blank. The writing on folio 11A is on the verso, not the recto.As a result of a scondary and earlier foliation sequence, most folios are also numbered in ink as follows: 151, 156, 158, 160, 161, 163, 165, 167-169, 171, 185, 202, 204, 215, 217, 219, 221, 223, 225, 227, 232, 243, 244, 260, 261, 276-280.

2. 'Book 142 1844' letters inward

Description:

Abstract: The file contains letters received by Captain Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire, from J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, between January and June 1844. The letters contain information, guidance and instructions from the Governor in Council of Bombay to the Resident.The letters often contain or enclose separately, copies of pertinent correspondence, mainly between other British officials in Bombay and the Persian Gulf, a few of which are dated 1843 or earlier. Among the enclosures are English translations of several Arabic letters written by Syed Soweynee (Governor of Muscat), Sheikh Suif bin Nubhan (Governor of Bunder Abbass), Khaja Rubil bin Uslan (British Government Native Agent, Muscat), Sir George Arthur (Governor in Council of Bombay) and Captain Atkins Hamerton (British Political Agent, Muscat).The letters and their enclosures discuss events in the Persian Gulf in the first half of 1844 and the implications for British foreign policy, relations and interests. The correspondence discusses the suppression of the maritime slave trade, the actions of the Governor of Muscat and his relations with the new Emir of Nejd, relations between the Persian Government and the ex-Chief of Bahrain, the British merchant shipwrecks Mary Mullabyand Sir James Cockburn, the vacant post of British Government Native Agent at Muscat and other topics as follows:-Ongoing investigations into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the wrecked British merchant brig Mary Mallaby, which ran aground at Bunder Abbass [Bandar Abbas] in July 1843 and the claim made by Captain C Fisher about the plunder of two boxes of treasure, together with an English translation of a letter from the Governor of Bunder Abbass to the British Government Native Agent, Muscat, and a witness statement by James Cromar, master of the British ship Columbia, made in the presence of Mr Le Geyt, the Senior Magistrate of Police, Bombay, December 1843 to March 1844 (folios 2-5, 21-31, 34-35);Request from the Governor of Muscat to the Governor in Council of Bombay, for advice on how to act in the face of the call to arms to the people of Oman, by Fysul bin Toorkey [Faisal ibn Turki], the new Emir of Nejd, together with the response from the Governor in Council of Bombay, November 1843 to January 1844 (folios 7-9);Recognition by the Governor in Council of Bombay of the aid and hospitality extended to Captain John Davies and the crew of the shipwrecked British barque Sir James Cockburnby the Governor of Muscat, including the offer of a sea passage in the British vessel Mary Mallaby, which the Governor of Muscat had purchased from Bunder Abbass and repaired, November 1843 to March 1844 (folios 3-4, 32-33, 40);Enquiries into the measures taken by the Governor of Muscat to enforce the prohibition against the slave trade at Muscat in accordance with treaty, and British requests for the liberation of three Indian slave girls and a Somali slave boy, March to June 1844 (folios 39-42, 52-58);Concerns about the doubtful wording of the anti-slavery clause (Article III) of the Treaty concluded in 1839 by Captain Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf with the Arab Chiefs of the Trucial Coast, together with a letter from the Court of Directors of the East India Company in London to the Government of Bombay, expressing their opinion, October 1843 to June 1844 (folios 10-11, 59);Request from the Government of Bombay to the Government of India, for advice on the policy to pursue in the event that the Persian authorities at Shiraz are granted permission by their Government, to assist ex-Chief Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamed, to reassert his authority in Bahrain, February to April 1844 (folios 37-38);Notice of the death of Khaja Rubil bin Uslan (British Government Native Agent, Muscat) on 13 May 1844, from the Governor of Muscat; letter from Mahomed Husson (also known as Moossa Khan) to the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, requesting appointment to the Native Agent vacancy at Muscat and enclosing supporting documents from 1804 and 1830, outlining the distinguished services rendered to the British Government by his ancestors (folios 43-51);Government of India circular and notices published in both The Calcutta Government Gazetteand The Bombay Government Gazetteon the 15 and 26 June 1844 respectively, announcing the appointment of William Wilberforce Bird as the new Governor General of India (folios 60-62);Government of Bombay notices published in The Bombay Government Gazetteon the 6, 17, and 23 January 1844, about British Army victories in Gwalior State, following the death of the Maharajah of Gwalior and the outbreak of conflict (folios 6, 12-20).Physical description: Foliation: numbered 2-3, 4, 4A, 5-62, from the front to the back of the file. The numbering is written in pencil on the recto, in the top right corner and encircled. The front of the file cover is numbered 1 and the back of the file cover is numbered 63 on the inside.Pagination: numbered in ink, in the top right or left hand corner respectively, as follows: 3-9, 11, 14-16, 20-22, 24-36, 46, 47, 55, 59-76, 123-126, 138, 166, 167, 176-178, 202-208, 224-235, 242-244, 254-262, 274, 275, 283-286. The number 283 has been written twice, on two successive pages. Blank pages and pages containing brief details only, such as name and address, are usually unnumbered.Physical condition: the paper edges of four of the five issues of The Bombay Government Gazette, 1844 are extensively stained, brittle and torn (folios 6, 12-18 and 20).

3. 'Old index Book No 143 From January To Dec' Vol 143 Letters outward

Description:

Abstract: The volume contains copies of letters sent by Captain Samuel Hennell, British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf at Bushire, mainly to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay, in 1844.The letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to the British Government of Bombay often contain or enclose separately, copies of other pertinent correspondence received or sent by the Resident. These are mostly regular intelligence reports from the British Government Native Agents at Bahrain, Muscat and elsewhere and occasional letters from or to local Arab rulers about military conflict, maritime treaty infractions and dispute resolution. All copies of the Resident’s Arabic correspondence with native agents, ruling sheikhs and others are in the form of English translations, there are no Arabic originals or copies in the volume.The correspondence in the volume discusses events in the Persian Gulf in 1844, predominantly in relation to slavery, piracy, conflicts between the rulers and inhabitants of the Trucial Coast Sheikdoms, especially civil war in Bahrain and the implications for British foreign policy, relations and interests in the region. Typical contents include:Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to Captain Nott, Senior Indian Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf, Lieutenant A Macdonald, Mr W H Litchfield commanding the Honourable Company schooner Emilyand other British officers in the Persian Gulf Squadron, providing them with cruising instructions for their regular patrols of both the Arabian and Persian coasts of the Gulf (folios 4, 10-11 and others);Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to Colonel Justin Sheil, British Chargé d’Affaires at the Court of the Shah of Persia, about the building of new fortifications at Bushire by the Persian Government, investigations into the charges of maladministration made by local Persian authorities against Hajee Yacoob, the British Government Native Agent in charge of the British coal depot on Karrack [Kharg] Island and other matters relating to British relations with Persia (folios 5, 14, 24-28 and others);Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay about his adherence to the British policy of non-interference in the civil war in Bahrain and enclosing English translations of his correspondence with ex-Sheikh Abdoollah bin Ahmed of Bahrain, requesting the help of the British Government to repossess Bahrain and Syed Soweynee, Governor of Muscat, requesting the approval of the British Government for his support to Sheikh Mahomed bin Khuleefa, the new defacto ruler of Bahrein (folios 5-8, 18-20 and others);Letters from the British Political Resident in the Persian Gulf to J P Willoughby, Secretary to the Government of Bombay about the results of further investigations into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the wrecked British merchant brig Mary Mallaby, which ran aground at Bunder Abbass [Bandar Abbass] in July 1843 and enclosing English translations of letters from Khojah Reuben, British Government Native Agent at Muscat, reporting inquiries made of a witness to the behaviour of Mr W Fisher, the master of the Mary Mallaby(folios 21-22 and others).Physical description: Foliation: numbered 1 to 278, from the front to the back of the volume. A single loose item of correspondence has been numbered folio 157 and is folded into the spine between folios 156 and 158. The front cover of the volume is numbered folio 1. Two blank folios at the front of the volume are numbered folios 2 and 3. The numbering is written in pencil on the recto, in the top right corner and encircled. On the front cover, the folio number is written on the book label. The eight blank folios at the back of the volume are unnumbered.Pagination: numbered 1 to 525, from the front to the back of the volume. These numbers are written in ink, in the top right or left hand corner respectively. The letter A has been added to the number 306, in pencil. The number 306B has been added in pencil to the single loose item of correspondence folded into the spine between pages 306 and 307.Condition: the volume has a broken spine, damaged front cover, missing back cover and a torn label on the front cover. The two blank folios at the front of the volume are torn. There is also a tear in the margin of folio 147.