"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٦‎٤‎٤] (١٧٨٢/٧٨٧)

644
few months later destroyed Lingeh on the ground of its bein^ a Qasimi
town. The Qawasim about the same time sent 22 boats to the relief
of Rahmah-bin-Jabir, a pirate of Khor Hassan in Qatar, when he was
attacked bv a Persian expedition from Bushehr ; and so effectual was
their co-operation that the Bushehr flotilla was repulsed and six of the
vessels belonging to it were captured. Perhaps the last victim of
Qasimi rapacity during this period was the " Deria Dowlut/' Captain
Flemming, which seems to have been taken in June 1809 ; while in
October of the same year a boat from H.M.S. " Caroline/' commanded
by Lieutenant Wood, boarded and captured one of a fleet of 27 piratical
vessels. A naval demonstration was made by Saiyid Sa'id of Masqat
against the Qasimi ports, but it was wholly ineffectual.
Motives of In these circumstances a naval and military expedition was sanctioned
expedition. ^ ^ ie ^ overnor "General of India, of which the principal object was to
destroy completely the sea power of the piratical tribes at that day
denominated (l Qawasim," and to release British subjects and others
who might be held by them in bondage; but there was also an inten
tion of replacing Saiyid Sa'id of Masqat in possession of certain
places in the Gulf of 'Oman, of which he had been deprived by
the Qasimis. The 'Oman Sultanate was at this time threatened with
in\ asion by the Wahhabi general Mutlaq, whose headquarters were at
Baiaimi; and a desire to relieve the ruler of Masqat from this danger
has also been mentioned as among the motives of the expedition.*
A conciliatory convention was, if possible, to be arranged with the
piratical powers after the destruction of their vessels. Incidentally
topographical information regarding the country, and especially the
poits, of the Qawasim was to be procured ; and an " eligible island "
was to be sought for in the vicinity of the Qasimi coast, which it might
be possible to occupy as a maritime station or a Residency.
r ^ e ^ ns ^ rilc ti 0 ns issued to the naval and military commanders in
commanders, charge of the expedition placed all these objects before them for attain
ment, except that relating to the relief of Masqat from Wahhabi
pressure j this last, if it entered into the scheme at all, was apparently
viewed as an indirect consequence, with which executive officers were
not concerned. Special stress was laid upon the complete destruction of
all piratical craft. From the political point of view extreme caution
was enjoined. Land operations of every sort were to be avoided, so far as
possible, and especially any conflict with forces in the service of the
Wahhabi Amir; no hostility towards the Wahhabis was to be expressed ;
and the supposed connection of the Wahhabis with the Qawasim was to
* See Bombay Seltctiont, XXIV, pages 131 and 805'