Vol 35: Letters Outward

IOR/R/15/1/33

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The record is made up of 1 volume, 148 items (142 folios). It was created in 1 Jul 1824-10 Jun 1825. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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Content

The volume consists of letters sent out by Ephraim Gerrish Stannus, the Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and James Pringle Riach, the officer placed in charge of the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. during his absences; the Resident is required to make a number of trips to the Arabian Coast during the period covered by this volume.

The subject matter covered includes political activity in Persia principally relating to Shaikh ‘Abd al-Rasūl Khān, the Shaikh of Bushire, and Ḥusayn ‘Alī Mirzā, the Prince at Shiraz; this includes some discussion concerning a possible Persian expedition to retake Bahrain, and the insecure position of Shaikh ‘Abd al-Rasūl Khān at Bushire. The impact and consequences of an earthquake, which occurred at Shiraz are also reported.

A great deal of correspondence is related to the Resident's role in enforcing the General Treaty with the Arab Tribes of the Persian Gulf An agreement made in 1820 between Britain and ten tribal rulers of the eastern Arabian coast, often seen as marking the start of 150 years of British hegemony in the region. 1820, which aims to curb piracy in the Gulf. There is therefore a great deal of material relating to mediating a dispute between the dependants of Sa‘īd bin Sultān Āl Sa‘īd, the Imam of Muscat (principally Shaikh Ṭaḥnūn bin Shakhbūṭ Āl Nahyān), and Sulṭān bin Saqr. There is also some material concerning the arrangement of transportation for the Resident's trips to the Arabian coast.

Captain William Owen's efforts to suppress the slave trade in East Africa are covered to a degree by the correspondence; the Captain's authorised declaration of a British Protectorate over Mombasa is reported, along with his threats against other dependencies of the Government of Oman (for example, Zanzibar). There is also a limited amount of material concerning the Imam of Muscat's threats to blockade the port of Basra.

Extent and format
1 volume, 148 items (142 folios)
It is grouped into
Arrangement

The correspondence in the volume is arranged chronologically commencing from 1 July 1824 to 10 June 1825, through some letters are out of sequence.

Physical characteristics

Condition: The front cover of the volume is detached from the binding, which is itself in poor condition, and many sections are loose. Much of the body of the volume is in good condition, but care must be taken as some of the folios are very fragile.

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover and terminates at the back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and can be found in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

The volume contains the following amendments to the foliation; 1, and 1A; 20, and 20A; 90, and 90A.

Pagination: The volume contains an original pagination sequence written in ink between ff 2-140; these numbers are located in the top centre of each page.

Written in
English in Latin script
Type
Letter book

Archive information for this record

Access & Reference

Original held at
British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.
Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference
IOR/R/15/1/33

History of this record

Date(s)
1 Jul 1824-10 Jun 1825 (CE, Gregorian)

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Vol 35: Letters Outward, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000006> [accessed 19 March 2024]

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