1. ‘Persian Gulf. Bushire. Mode and Extent of taxation at.’

Description:

Abstract: The item consists of copies and extracts of correspondence and minutes cited in, or enclosed with, a Political Letter from the Government of Bombay to the East India Company Court of Directors, 31 August 1847. A copy of this Political Letter can be found at IOR/F/4/2238/112322, alongside details of further enclosures. The item is the thirteenth in a series of fifty-nine items on events in the Persian Gulf.The item contains a memorandum on the taxation system within the Province of Fars, composed by Lieutenant Arnold Burrowes Kemball, Assistant Resident in the Persian Gulf (folios 334-339). As well as information on the general system, Kemball’s memorandum also includes an example of rates levied from the villages of Reshehr. The memorandum was requested by HM Minister at the Court of Persia [Iran] and forwarded by Major Samuel Hennell, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to the Government of Bombay. The Governor of Bombay’s comments are included.The title page of the item contains the following references: ‘Bombay Political Department’, ‘Draft No. 345/48’, ‘Collection No. 2 of No. 107, Vol: 13.’ and ‘Examiner’s Office’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description (used for referencing) commences at f 331, and terminates at f 340, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the item also contains an original pagination sequence.

2. ‘Persian Gulf. Reports drawn up by Lieutenant Kemball regarding [] tribes in the - .’

Description:

Abstract: This item consists of copies of correspondence, minutes, and consultations cited in, or enclosed with, a political letter from the Government of Bombay [Mumbai]. The correspondents are the Government of Bombay and Captain (later Major) Samuel Hennell, Resident in the Persian Gulf.The item concerns a request by the Government of India for a report on the history of Britain’s relations with the states on the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf, and the completion of this by Lieutenant Arnold Burrowes Kemball, Assistant Resident in the Persian Gulf. Kemball’s report was originally submitted with the political letter. The first part can be found in IOR/F/4/2121/100024, and the remainder is included in this item. An additional report on the territories belonging to the Imam of Muscat, produced by Captain Atkins Hamerton and also submitted with the political letter, is contained in IOR/F/4/2121/100026.This item contains the following sections of Kemball’s report:‘Historical Sketches of the Arab Tribes in the Persian Gulf from 1832 to 1844.’‘Chronological Table of Events connected with the Arab Tribes of the Persian Gulf being an Index to the Historical Sketches of those tribes.’‘Memoranda on the resources, localities and relations of the Tribes inhabiting the Arabian Shores of the Persian Gulf.’These sections contain Kemball’s summaries and commentary, as well as extracts from earlier records produced by British officials.The item contains a table of contents (f 145), and the title page (f 81) contains the following references: ‘P C [Previous Communication] 5061, Coll. 5, Vol. 2’, ‘D/t 29/46’, ‘Collection No. 2 of No. 18’ and ‘Examiner’s Office’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with f 144 and terminates at f 329, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the volume also contains an original pagination sequence.Condition: Part of f 144 is missing, which has resulted in some of the text being lost.

3. ‘Persian Gulf. Reports upon the political treaties existing between the British Government and the neighbouring states on the Arabian coast and on the engagements for the suppression of the slave trade between the same parties.’

Description:

Abstract: This item consists of copies of correspondence, minutes, and consultations cited in, or enclosed with, a political letter from the Government of Bombay [Mumbai]. The correspondents are: the Government of Bombay; the Government of India; and Captain Samuel Hennell, Resident in the Persian Gulf.The item concerns a request by the Government of India for a report on the history of Britain’s relations with the states on the Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf, and the completion of this by Lieutenant Arnold Burrowes Kemball, Assistant Resident in the Persian Gulf. Kemball’s report was originally submitted with the political letter. The first part is included in this item, and the remainder can be found in IOR/F/4/2121/100025. An additional report on the territories belonging to the Imam of Muscat, produced by Captain Atkins Hamerton and also submitted with the political letter, is contained in IOR/F/4/2121/100026.This item contains the following sections of Kemball’s report:‘A memoir showing the nature and character of the political engagements existing between ‘the British Government and the Arabian Chiefs in the Persian Gulf’ (ff 95-109). This contains the following enclosures:‘Treaty entered into by Sir W Grant Keir with the Chiefs of the Arab Tribes in the year 1820’ [General Treaty with the Arab Tribes of the Persian Gulf] (f 95)‘Neutral Ground and Restrictive Line or War Limit’ (f 96)‘Terms of a Maritime Truce for ten years agreed upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf, dated 1st June 1843’ (f 97).‘A similar memoir on the subject of the engagements which from time to time have been entered into between the British Government and these Chieftains for the suppression of the slave trade’ (ff 110-133). This contains the following enclosures, dating from August-September 1822:Requisitions made by Captain Fairfax Moresby to the Imam of Muscat [Sayyid Sa‘īd bin Sulṭān Āl Bū Sa‘īd]; the English translation of the Arabic version of these requisitions and of the Imam’s answers; remarks by William Simson, Deputy Persian Secretary to Government, on the requisitions and answers; an additional requisition made by Captain Moresby, with a response by the Imam and a remark by Simson (ff 110-115).‘Copies of three treaties entered into by the British Government with His Highness the Imaum [Imam] of Muscat, on the 12th October 1798, 16 January 1800, and 31st May 1839’ (ff 134-141).The item contains a table of contents (ff 82-83), and the title page (f 81) contains the following references: ‘P C [Previous Communication] 5061, Coll. 5, Vol. 1’, ‘D/t 29/46’, ‘Collection No. 1 of No. 18’ and ‘Examiner’s Office’.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with f 81 and terminates at f 143, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the bottom right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the volume also contains an original pagination sequence.

4. ‘Report on the Administration of the Persian Gulf Political Residency and Muscat Political Agency for the Year 1880-81’

Description:

Abstract: Administration Report on the Persian Gulf Residency and Muscat Political Agency for 1880-81, published by Authority at the Foreign Department Press, India (Calcutta), forming part of the Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department (No. 181) and based on reports sent to Government by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf. The report is preceded by a copy of a letter sent by Ross to Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, dated 14 July 1881, which enclosed the submission of the original reports to the Government of India (folio 69).The report is divided up into a number of parts, as follows:1. General Report, prepared by Ross (folios 70-82), which is divided a number of small reports, organised by region and subject, as follows: 1. ’Omán [Oman] or Muskat State; 2. Pirate Coast; 3. Islands of Bahrain; 4. Nejd, El-Hasá [Al-Hasa] and El-Katr [Qatar]; 5. Southern Persia, with subheadings for Arabistan, Fars, Bushire, Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] and Persian Beloochistan [Baluchistan]; and 6. Bassidore; naval; slave traffic; the observatory at Bushire; and the purchase of mules in Persia. Under the observatory report (folio 74) there is a handwritten pencil note (author unknown) which questions the underlined term ‘Samoom’ in the text, described as ‘a scorching northerly wind’. Three appendices follow the report: Appendix A comprises tabulated meteorological data from the Bushire observatory; Appendix B contains extracts from a report written by Captain Edward Durand, former Assistant Resident, on the men and internal politics of Fars; Appendix C is a genealogical table showing part of the Kájár [Qājār] royal family of Persia, indicating their present official appointments.2. Administration Report of the Political Agency, Muscat, for the year 1879-80, prepared by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Barrett Miles, Her Britannic Majesty’s Political Agent and Consul in Muscat (folios 83-98), chiefly reporting on internal political affairs, with additional short reports on changes in British offical personnel and the slave trade. Two appendices follow the report: A. A note on the tribes of Oman, written by Miles, with tabulated data on the population, district and political affiliation of tribes, and separate sections dedicated to each main tribe, detailing their geographic location, character, and internal organisation. Appendix A also includes two genealogical tables, entitled ‘Seif bin Mohammed bin Saeed bin Mohammed bin Abdulla Âb Boo Saidi’ (folio 92) and ‘Khalfân bin Mohammad bin Abdulla el Wakeel Âb Boo Saidi’ (folio 93). Folio 94 is a note, inserted into the volume at a later, unspecified date, stating that a map, plan or sketch has been temporarily removed from the volume. Appendix B is a note, prepared by Ross, on the Ibadhiyah sect of Oman, with the translation of chapter 29 of “Keshf-ul-Ghummeh-El-Jama’l ’Akhbár-el-Ummeh” of the Shaikh Sirhán-bin-Sa’íd-el-’Alwai of Oman.3. Report of trade in 1880, prepared by Ross (folios 98-175), comprising a summary of trade and the harvest in southern Persia, and imports and exports. Two appendices follow the report: Appendix A is a note on sea-fishing in the Persian Gulf, written by Lieutenant I. MacIvor, Assistant Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, giving details of the main fishing areas; times of year for sea-fishing; boats used in fishing; fishing methods; curing and preparation of fish; importance of turtles; and varieties of fish found in the Persian Gulf and at Muscat, with a tabulated list of fish, alongside their (transliterated) Arabic and Persian names; numbers of boats and men involved in fishing; and quantities of fish caught in the Gulf and at Muscat. Appendix B comprises tabulated trade statistics, indicating the quantity and values of imports and exports in the region, lists of goods traded, nationality and tonnage of trading vessels.4. Trade at Muscat, prepared by Miles, dated 27 May 1881 (folios 176-85), incorporating a general overview of trade, followed by a number of appendices comprising tabulated statistics for the average tonnage of vessels entering and leaving Muscat, imports and exports, value and description of goods.Physical description: Condition: There is a small tear in folio 90. A number of pages (between folios 91 and 92) have been cut out of the volume.

5. 'NOTES ON THE ISLANDS OF BAHRAIN AND ANTIQUITIES BY CAPTAIN E. L. DURAND, 1 ASSISTANT RESIDENT, PERSIAN GULF.'

Description:

Abstract: Letter No. 164 from Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, Her British Majesty's Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, to Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, 1 May 1879, enclosing notes on the islands of Bahrain and Antiquities, written by Edward Law Durand, and commenting that some of the antiquities described had not been documented before and were of interest to the British Museum who were funding further research and excavation.The notes are broken down into the following headings:BahrainDescriptive: describing the physical geography of the islands and their surrounding waters, the longitude and latitude and navigable access by sea;Trade: describing the pearl and date trades, and ways in which trade and harbour access might be improved;Interior of the Islands: describing geographical features inland;Water: describing the locations of fresh springs across the island and also the availability of salt;Trees and Plants; describing the flora and fauna of the islands;Animals: tame animals including horses, donkeys, camels and cowsWild animals: including gazelle, mongoose and hares.AntiquitiesAntiquarian: giving an account of the earliest known history of the islands, including their rulership by the Phoenicians, Babylonians, Persians, Arabs and Portuguese, before describing the antiquities to be found on the islands.The notes describe the antiquities visited by Captain Durand during trips to Bahrain, including all the mosques on the islands; an old stone water well found in a date grove near Bilad-i-Kadim [Bilad al Qadeem]; a number of mounds at Ali [Aali] which were determined to be temples or tombs, which Durand speculates may have been the great Phoenician cemetery of Gerrha and which he spent several days exploring and excavating.The notes include illustrations (folios 29, 30, 33 and 35) to accompany the report, which were lithographed from originals supplied by the Foreign Department of the Government of India.The notes also included two maps which have since been removed and are kept in the India Office Maps Collection (IOR/W/L/PS/18/B95).Physical description: Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 25, and terminates at folio 38, since it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in the top right hand corner of the recto of each folio. These numbers are written in pencil, but are not circled.