Abstract: The file contains correspondence sent during 1837 to Captain Samuel Hennell, the Officiating Resident in the Persian Gulf. It primarily concerns the operations of the Indian Navy in the Persian Gulf; the movement of ships, the transfer of officers, and the payment of allowances. Major topics covered include reports on the suitability of Bussora [Basra], and Mahamerah [Khorramshahr] as sites for coal depots; and an experiment to measure the consumption rate of two types of wood — as fuel — by the steamer
Hugh Lindsay.The Euprhates Expedition is also a significant topic in the file; this concerns instructions related to moving the steamer
Euphratesto either Mahamerah, or Muscat so that it may be towed back to Bombay by the
Hugh Lindsay. The expedition is also attempting to raise the steamer
Tigris, which sank in the Euphrates river.Intermixed with the correspondence is a list of books left with Captain Hennell at Bushire, a list of instruments at Bushire, a list of stores aboard the
Euphrates, and a receipt for 2500 German crowns from Syed bin Selim, Vikeel of Aboothabee [Sa‘īd bin Salīm, Wakīl of Abu Dhabi]. The latter being the result of claims made by the British Government against the Daria Dowlat for acts of piracy.Reports concerning the political affairs of Bahrain, the Arabian Coast, and the movements Arab tribes are also included. However, these topics are not heavily represented in this file.The principle correspondents are John Pepper, Commander of the Indian Naval Squadron in the Persian Gulf; and Sir Charles Malcolm, Superintendent of the Indian Navy.The file also includes letters from the following: Francis Rawdon Chesney, Commander of the Euphrates Expedition; James Bucknall Bucknall-Estcourt, Third in Command of the Euphrates Expedition; John Croft Hawkins, Commander of the
Clive; Alexander Hector at Baghdad; William Igglesden, Commander of the
Tigris; Henry Nelson Poole, in Charge of the
Clive; John Sawyer, Commander of the
Amhurst[
Amherst]; Charles Sharpe, Commander of the
Elphinstone; Robert Taylor, Political Agent in Turkish Arabia; Joseph H Rowband, Commander of the
Hugh Lindsay; Alfred S Williams, Assistant Superintendent of the Indian Navy; and Edward M Wood, Secretary to the Bombay Government.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the cover and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and can be found in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: An original incomplete pagination sequence in ink is also present in the volume between ff. 2-45. There are a number of gaps in this sequence.
Abstract: Volume containing correspondence related to the Euphrates expedition of 1835-36, a survey of the navigability of the Euphrates River as part of a possible overland route between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. The correspondence covers preparations for the expedition, the sea journey from Liverpool to Sowedich [Samandağ] and the overland journey from Sowedich to Bir [Birecik]. The correspondence also discusses delays to the expedition caused by the obstructionism of various Ottoman officials, particularly Mehmet Ali, Pasha of Egypt, and his son Ibrahim Pasha.The primary correspondent is the commander of the expedition Colonel Francis Rawdon Chesney. Other correspondents include: Chesney’s second-in-command Lieutenant Henry Blosse Lynch; the Board of Control; the Government of Bombay; HM Treasury; the British Consul, Aleppo; the British Consul, Baghdad; and HM Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.The report recommending the expedition from the House of Commons Select Committee on Steam Navigation to India is included on folios 74-75. A transcript of the following House of Commons debate on 4 August 1834 is included on folios 76-85.Folios 204-224 contain a copy of the log book of the voyage of the
George Canningfrom Liverpool to Sowedich, via Malta and Beirout [Beirut], February-April 1835, accompanied by HMS
Columbine.Folios 262-263 contain a description of a turtle, probably an African softshell turtle, by the expedition’s naturalist Dr Charles Frederick Staunton.The volume includes a table of contents on folios 7-15.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 405; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The volume includes two sequences of blank pages, ff 54-73 and ff 385-404, which have not been digitised.
Abstract: 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 69 of 1840, dated 16 September 1840.A note in black ink states that the enclosure to Bombay Secret Letter, Number 68, dated 28 August 1840, is not in this collection.The enclosures to No. 69 are numbered 3-13 and are dated 18 May-25 October 1840.They consist of correspondence relating to the Euphrates Expedition, and specifically the auditing of its accounts, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Blosse Lynch.Correspondents include: the Military Auditor General, Commander Lynch, and the Secretary to the Government of India.Physical description: 1 item (24 folios)
Abstract: The file contains letters sent outwards from the British Residency in the Persian Gulf by Samuel Hennell (the Resident), and Thomas Mackenzie (Acting Assistant in Charge of the Residency). The main recipient being John Pollard Willoughby, Secretary to the Political Department of the Bombay Government. Other significant recipients are Edward M Wood, Secretary to the Military and Steam Departments of the Bombay Government; John McNeil, HM Minister Plenipotentiary and Minister Extraordinary to the Court of Persia; and the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors of the East India Company in London.The correspondence includes material of a routine administrative nature; such as the movement of company ships, the transportation of mail, personnel matters, and so on. The trials of Noor Mahomed Beg [Nūr Muḥammad Beg] in conveying packets between Bushire and Tehran are outlined in more detail; a list of expenses he incurred in the process is also included. Additional topics covered include the suitability of various locations — Anjar, Bundar Maculla, Karrack [Khārk, Jazīreh-ye], and Muscat — for establishing a coal depot; the viability of relocating the base of the Indian Naval Squadron in the Persian Gulf from Bassidore [Bāsaʻīdū] to Anjar; the temporary occupation of Karrack by British forces; and the testing of the navigability of the Euphrates river through the ascent of an iron steamer.Included in the file are reports on the Resident's annual tour of the Arabian Coast. The main object being the renewal of the Maritime Truce, and its extension from a period of eight to twelve months. The Resident is also involved in trying to get the Arab Chiefs to formally recognise the restrictive line in the Persian Gulf; a neutral zone within which no hostility at sea will be tolerated.The efforts of the Resident to suppress the trade in slaves in the Persian Gulf is also featured; this being prompted by a complaint alleging that traders of the Joasmee [Āl Qāsimī] tribe had abducted women from the coast of Barbarah [Berbera] for the purpose of selling them as slaves. It also covers the Resident's efforts to prevent hostilities at sea between Aboothabee [Abu Dhabi] and Debaye [Dubai], as a result of Shaikh Khuleefa bin Shakboot's [Khalīfah bin Shakhbūṭ] attack on the Sea Tower of the Fort of Debaye.In a similar vein, the file includes correspondence related to the Resident's efforts to mediate a settlement between the Chief of Bahrain, and his revolted dependants — Esa ben Tareef [‘Isá bin Ṭarīf], and Ibn Salamah [Ibn Salāmah] — residing at Aboothabee. It also discusses the complete abandonment of Wukrah [al Wakrah] by the Boo Eymeen [Bu Ajman] tribe, and their relocation to Aboothabee, and a request from the Beni boo Ally [Banī Bū ‘Alī] for a reconciliation with the Beni boo Hoossun [Banī Bū Ḥusayn].The file also covers the advances of Ameer Khaled [Amīr Khālid] — with the support of the Muḥammad ‘Alī Pāshā of Egypt — against Ameer Fysul [Amīr Fayṣul], the Wahabi Chief, in Nedgd [Najd], and the resulting threat this poses to the Chief of Bahrain, Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin Aḥmad Āl Khalīfah.The correspondence also concerns itself with the perceived hostility, and obstructive attitude of the Prince of Shiraz against the British at Bushire. The replacement of Shaikh Nasir [Shaykh Nāṣir] as Governor of Bushire by Mirza Abbas [Mīrzā ‘Abbās], and his subsequent replacement with Mirza Assadoollah [Mīrzā Assad ‘Allāh] following a dispute with the merchants of that place.Included is list of equipment received from India on the requisition of Sir Henry Bethune showing their subsequent distribution, along with another list estimating the cost of building a coal depot with a capacity for 1000 tons of coal.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the cover and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: An original incomplete pagination sequence is also present in the file between ff 2-91. These numbers are located in the top outermost corner of each page. Please note that there are significant gaps present in this sequence.
Abstract: This file consists almost entirely of letters received at the Residency in the Persian Gulf, Bushire. Most of the letters are addressed to the Acting Resident in the Persian Gulf; very few of these letters state the name of the Acting Resident; those that do include a name are addressed to Samuel Hennell.The principal correspondents in this file are the following: Edward M Wood, Secretary to Government, Marine Department, Bombay; John Pollard Willoughby, Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay; William Henry Wathen, Chief Secretary to Government, Political Department, Bombay; Charles Malcolm, Superintendent of the Indian Navy; John Pepper, Commander of the Indian Naval Squadron.Several of the letters include enclosed letters. For instance, some of Wood's letters contain copies of correspondence between the Government of Bombay and Charles Malcolm, Superintendent of the Indian Navy. These enclosed letters relate to new arrangements – proposed by the Resident, James Morrison – concerning the role of the Commodore's ship (previously almost permanently stationed at Bassadore [Bāsaʻīdū], but recently required, following Morrison's changes, to make regular trips throughout the Gulf). Malcolm objects to the changes and makes the case for having a station vessel at Bassadore.The letters from Wood and Willoughby respectively relay the approval, and in some cases, the instructions, of the Governor in Council, Sir Robert Grant, regarding the Resident's duties. Many of these letters concern the Resident's conduct in political affairs in the Gulf. For instance, one letter relates to a dispute between the Shaik of Kishm [Shaikh of Qeshm] and the Imaum [Imam] of Muscat [Sa‘īd bin Sulṭān Āl Bū Sa‘īd]. Other letters discuss more routine tasks, such as the forwarding of packets and the maintenance of the buildings under the Resident's charge.Other subjects discussed include: the maintenance and movements of Indian Navy ships, particularly in relation to the Euphrates Expedition, headed by Francis Rawdon Chesney; Malcolm's dismissal of the commander of the
Cyreneschooner for having shown extreme carelessness while in charge of that vessel, resulting in it running aground; arrangements – sanctioned by the Governor in Council –for the conveyance of mail between Mohammarah [Khorramshahr] and Damascus and Beirout [Beirut], using dromedaries and horses respectively; the reported tearing down of British colours by the French authorities at the Port of Bussora [Basra]; reported piratical activity in the neighbourhood of Adeed.The final letter in the file, which is from Willoughby, concerns instructions regarding the conduct of British officers when detached with troops of British allies. The letter contains two extracts from two separate letters from the Court of Directors, the first of which is dated 25 September 1835 and refers to an incident in which a British officer, Captain Rochfort, failed to intervene and prevent the execution of ninety-nine prisoners.Physical description: Pagination: There is a pagination sequence, which is written in ink, in the top right corners of the rectos and in the top left corners of the versos.Foliation: There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto of each folio. This sequence begins on the first folio after the front cover, on number 1, and ends on the last folio of writing, on number 54. This is the sequence which has been used by this catalogue to reference items within the file.