"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٥‎٥] (١٧٨٢/٢٩٨)

155
Mt
js] d 1$
other French agents were moving about in the Middle East at this time
is shown by the instructions given to Lieutenant Skinner, in whose
vessel the orders for Mr. Hankey Smith were sent; for he was directed
to make close enquiry regarding the presence at Masqat of persons of
French nationality or in the French service, and, if any such were found,
he was to try to get them handed over to him by the local authority.
The three individuals whose arrest was chiefly desired were M. Descor-
ches, perhaps the former Envoy-Extraordinary of France at the Porte;
Mr. Humphries, an English renegade, who was his fellow-traveller;
and the Abbe de Beauchamp, probably a priest of that name who had
lately been the representative of France at Baghdad. All of these
were supposed to be on their way to Mauritius, where the Abbe had been
designated for an official appointment; and Lieutenant Skinner was
authorised to offer the Governor of Masqat a sum not exceeding
lis. 8,000 for the surrender of each of them, as well as Rs. 1,000 to
lis. 3,000 a head for the surrender of any other Frenchmen who might
be there. Nothing seems to have resulted from Lieutenant Skinners
cruise, unless that in January 1797 Saiyid Sultan wrote to Bombay
that a report which had reached the Governor of the Presidency,
that three Frenchmen were living in 'Oman territory and supplying their
Government with information prejudicial to the East India Company,
was without foundation. In 1797 there were rumours of French and
Dutch vessels being allowed by Saiyid Sultan to frequent Masqat under
Arab colours, and the Governor of Bombay seems to have reprimanded
the native agent of the East India Company there for negligence in
reporting the fact, and also to have expostulated with the Saiyid himself on
the subject. In what manner the Saiyid could be supposed to prevent
Europeans from abusing his flag upon the high seas, which was the real
cause of inconvenience to the British, is not clear. An American,
Captain Crouch, whose ship the " Latchmi" made a voyage from
Batavia to Masqat, and thence to Mauritius, seems to have come under
suspicion of helping the French. In 1798, through two sons of Mr.
Hankey Smith, the British Resident at Bushehr, who were captured
by the French in the * " Lanal " and carried to Mauritius, the existence
of French arrangements for obtaining information by means of Arab
visitors to Masqat was brought to light. The movement of British
vessels between India and the Persian Gulf was naturally one of the
principal subjects of study of the French spies.
IhJ
■
■-"•i
Sic : perhaps the " Laurel.