"زنزبار، شبه الجزيرة العربية، والخليج العربي" [و‎‎٤‎٤] (٨/٥)

ho r direct dominion over the territory bordering on
^ consistent with our policy to permit
this. It not, what right have we to prevent, what
means to counteract it ? Under the doubt I feel
respecting the character and policy of Syud Salim
I am not sure that it signifies much to us whether
Bunder Abbas is in his hands or in that of the
Persian Government. In the time of Syud Suveed
we had much more confidence in him than in the
Shah of Persia, who was a weather-cock not to be
depended upon, seeking money wherever he could
get it, and caring for little else. But the Govern
ment of Persia is much more steady now than it
was in the times of Futeh-Ali-Shah, and I have
little doubt that the influence of the British Minister
at Teheran would be able to secure that any Per
sian Governor sent to Bunder Abbas would manage
it just as well as an agent from Muscat. But Syud
Salim has this to say,—It is because I have not
received the subsidy I was entitled to from Zanzibar,
which the British Government guaranteed to be
paid to my father, that I have been unable to pay
the rent due to Persia for Bunder Abbas. I have
incurred the forfeiture, therefore, through your
default. The money payment from Zanzibar will,
before this { have been realized by the Muscat Go
vernment, the amount having been paid under pro
test by Syud Mujeed to the Bombay Government.
Is any further action on our part necessary to save
the farm of Bunder Abbas from forfeiture and con
fiscation by Persia? I cannot think that it is, nor
have 1 so favourable an opinion of the Government
of Syud Salim as to wish to extend or perpetuate
his dominion, but I acknowledge, as I said before,
that our information respecting his policy, qualifica
tions, and character, is very defective.
5. Proposal of the
Persian Govern
ment to establish
a fleet of war
steamers in the
Persian Gulf under
British officers.
5. As part of the same policy which has sug
gested to the Persian Government the resumption
of Bunder Abbas, the durbar has proposed to our
Ambassador to establish a fleet of war steamers
under British Officers, and the proposition has been
made, as if it was a favour to give a preference to
our nation instead of making the same offer to the
French or Americans. It is to be observed, that
the vessels are to be built and provided at our
expense, under promise of repayment hereafter.
This part of the proposal is conclusive against its
being likely to be accepted by any power that has
not views of its own to be promoted thereby. The
vessels are to be commanded by British Officers.
Ol the crews nothing is stated, nor has anything
been said respecting the position of these Officers,
or respecting the authority from which or through
which they are to receive their orders. A similar
proposition from the Chinese Government, which
was carried so far that five steamers were provided
by the British Government, and sent out under
Sherard Osborn as Commandant, broke down alto
gether, and the project was given up, because the