"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٦‎٧‎٦] (١٧٨٢/٨١٩)

Temporay
occupation
of Qishm,
followed by
a system
of purely
maritime
control.
670
Ras-al-Khaimah with the 1st Battalion of the 2n(l Native Infantry and
2U artillerymen under his orders, was instructed, after procuring the
consent of the Saiyid of iMasqat, to remove his force to the island of
Qishm, destroying the defences of Ras-al-Khaimah before evacuating it
and handing the town over at his departure to Shaikh Sultan-bin-
Saqar of Sharjah, or to any other suitable chief. Saiyid Sa'id having
readily signified, in writing, his consent to the occupation of Qishm,
Captain Thompson proceeded to negotiate with Sultan-bin-Saqar,
promising him possession of Ras-al-Khaimah on condition that he should
agree to the detailed stipulations of which the omission from the General
1 reaty of Peace had been regretted by the Bombay Government ; but to
this condition the Shaikh would by no means agree, and he further
insisted that the defences of the place should not be destroyed before its
rendition. Captain Thompson, as the Shaikh remained obstinate and
he himself was not vested with discretion in the matter, first destroyed
neaily every building in llas-al-Khaimah, these being all in a greater
or less degree fortifications, and then evacuated the place on the 18th of
July. Two days later the troops disembarked at Qishm town.
The occupation of Qishm having given rise to difficulties with
Peisia, and the climate of the island having proved extremely unhealthy,
a scheme of maritime control was, about the end of 1821, adopted by
the Government of Bombay on the advice of Mr. Meriton, Superinten
dent of Maiine ; this, it was hoped, would render superfluous the reten
tion of a military force in the C-Julf. It was decided to maintain in all a
squadion of six cruisers, of which three, based on the island of Qais, should
cruise continually off the Arab ports from Rams to Dibai. On the
island of Qais, which was selected because the prevailing winds favoured
rapid communication between it and the Pirate Coast, a small depot of
stores, with gunboats, should be established under the care of a Master
Attendant and the protection of a small sepoy guard. Of the remaining
three cruisers, two were to be employed in carrying despatches, in affording
convoy, and in other miscellaneous duties between Masqat and Basrah ;
and the third was to be used in maintaining communication with
Bombay. A year later, on the evacuation of Qishm being carried
into effect, these arrangements were slightly modified, four instead of
three vessels being appropriated to active cruising duties, while one only
was reserved for general employment between Masqat and Basrah
Masqat was made, at the end of 1822, the point of rendezvous of the
H.E.I. Company's vessels in these seas; but in 1823 Mughu on the
Persian Coast was substituted, and arrangements were made for establish-
ing a store depot at that place, as also a Native Agent on the part of the
Resident m the Persian Gulf. Ultimately in September 1828 the
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