'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Nejd [Najd] Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎22] (35/72)

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^ ,r There spems mucli ground for believing that the great increase, which has taken place
during the last ten years, in the slave trade between East Africa and Arabia, is due to a new
direction having been given to the naval enterprise of the tribes on the sea coast which were
formerly most imbued with Wahabi fanaticism and most active in piracy.
" The visits of Mr. Palgrave and Colonel Pelly to the Wahabi capital have thrown
great light upon the resources of this power, and the information recorded by these travellers
shows very clearly that the Wahabis have of late years been recovering from the effects
of the chastisement formerly inflicted on them, and that they are likely to become exceedingly
troublesome to all in contact with them, who will not submit to their religious domination^
" A P art £ . rom an ^ lnterna l impulse given by a revived spirit of religious fanaticism there
are several obvious causes of the late development of Wahabi aggressive power iu Arabia.
" Much is of course due to the natural effects of so many years of comparative rest in
repairing their exhausted resources; something also no doubt to the disappearance of the
generation which had experienced the power of the Egyptian Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the late Imam of Maskat,
and of British Naval and Military expeditionary forces.
Ci More however is probably owing to the sensible decav of vigour in the ruler of Maskat
the Persi^Q 0 ^!^ an ^ v ^ si ^ : ^ rom our vessds of war to the old pirate coast of
W i/'v Ut Whate ™ tll , e Cai J, Se ' J . t ? ere can be no doubfc of the evil effects of this revival of
a abi power, and it is clear that these effects cannot be confined to the Continent of Arabia
We have had more than one warning symptom during the past year or two of a possible
revival of piracy on our own Indian Coafts. There is every year increased activity in the sTave
lade carried on between East Africa and Arabia, chiefly by vessels belonging to the Wahabi
pirate ports, and the aggressions of tbe Wahabis by land on the territories rf the Iroam of
Maskat, threaten seriously to injure a power which for several generations past has been the
only representative of civilization and order in Eastern Arabia.
. I . cl0 n ", t . tIl | J " L ' tha . t tl " s 'f a statf; of things in which the British Government in India
should be entirely passive. Our interest in the matter is not precisely the same asT» mf
when the -pirates from the Wahah. coast threatened serious injury to the geneS trad. oF
Bombay; but we have Treaty ties with the Imam of Maskat, and there can be no do,At tW.
considerable increase of Wahabi influence would lead to, at least, an attempt to revi ve nira J
a d seriously impede the rapidly increasing commerce of the Persian Gnlf Tf • i + ? 1
any time interfere with our Telegraphic communication with Europe " ^ at
The important question remains what it behoves the British + j -i
these circumstances ? • ^uoves tne i^ritisn Government to do under
" It seems quite clear that there is little chance of the Amir nntT-Inrp t -Ui. ^ ,
ol 0 S„t\TKsrrte: ieUdly ^ " Col0nel
foiitL\i ;^To ^ f ;y
:mrt™orrd n r h?;s^ si o tet attention
only likely to embroil us further. P 0pen further «> m nrauication with him is
the Imam™ M^atTto^int 1 outlrHis^tZ^ t0 ° e to His ,
language that the aggressions of the Wahabis L not iik ly to bt cheokcTbv friendIy
cence, or by a constantly increasing addition of the tribnf« H,' w- ? y me aG< l Ui es.
the Government of India will learn ^th reLet and su.n^ ^ them, that
murdered and plundered in a large town under His HiVhrJl ^ fl -lu eub J ects have been
tempt on His Highness' pa rt to punish his ow^
upon him to imitate the example^?^Ts S illuToTet imperative, - v caII s
conciliate and revive the spirit of his feudatorv tr\h^ ^ ^ financ es in order, to
SghCs. 4 " 161,61 by f0rCe ' i£ neSOtiation m ' tie '
but I would assure hfm of o"r°ntentfon™cXutously ToTimmi/TreT"^?-" tl!eSe Cb:ieCtS '
^ rf' is amp,e te
with assistance in money, and with the presence of such abso,utfl J necessary,
m these Seas as the Commander-in-Chief may think best calculated f naval forces
Imam to re-establish His Highness' authoritv in LTl CaJcul ^ ed ^ be of use in aiding the
which h 18 rebellious subjects or the Wahabi enemy may have dep^ed lZi ^ ^ Seaboard ' of