'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Nejd [Najd] Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎28] (41/72)

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<f These operations appear, witli one partial exception, to have been most successful, and
have, moreover, been executed with a care for the lives and property of non-combatants, which
reflect great credit on Captain Pasley and all employed.
ff While lamenting the loss of the brave men who were killed at Demaum, I would express
our sincere admiration ofc' the gallantry displayed by Lieutenant Long and the whole party
engaged, and particularly of those who are named by their Commanding Officer, as worthy of
special mention.
Lieutenant Colonel Pelly is of opinion that it will be necessary to return to Demaum
with the means of battering it from a raft.
" But before making any fresh attempt of the kind it will be well to ascertain from the
Kesident what has been the effect of the operations already carried out ? It appears that after
tbe expiration of the term fixed by Colonel Felly in his demand on the Wahabis for satisfac
tion, several Wahabi war-buggalows and the tower of Burj Bullif, commanding one entrance
to the harbour of KhatifP, were destroyed, and the fort of Demaum itself was plied with shot,
shell and rockets to an extent which must have made a considerable impression on the garrison,
and probably removed any notion they may have entertained as to their power to resist any
attack which might be made on it with an adequate force. It will be well to ascertain the
total effect of all these operations before undertaking any thing further against the fort of
Demaum which seems in itself to be of little importance.
" I would propose, therefore, to ask the Commodore to visit Maskat before the season for
active operations in the Gulf draws to a close, taking with him any part of his squadron which
can be spared from other service, and that he should confer with Lieutenant-Colonel Pelly,
who will, by that time, have ascertained the general effect on the Wahabis and the littoral
Arabs, of the whole series of operations, including those which may have been undertaken by
His Highness the Imam by land. Should it appear that sufficient has been done for this
season, no further operations against Khatif will be necessary, if otherwise, the Commodore
will be in a position to decide what may be possible and necessary to secure, at least for the •
currenc season, the peace of the Maritime tribes of the Gulf, and the safety of the British
subjects residing amongst them.
«Since Colonel Pelly wrote, he will have received the instructions of the Governor
Genera 1 in Council as contained in Mr. Secretary Muir's letter of the 24th January last
No 66, which express the opinicm.cf the Viceroy that it would be inexpedient to press the
Wahabi Amir for compensation for any loss which British subjects may have incurred
during the late hostilities between the Wahabis and the subjects of Maskat. Moreover the
damage inflicted on the Wahabis and Surees by the in destroying their towers and
Uxehst a P parent ^ at least e< l ual th0 value of vvhat our subjects were supposed to
" I would submit these remarks with Colonel Pell'y despatches to the Governor General
in Council, and inform His Excellency that we propose requesting the Commodore to sail as
Boon as he considers expedient, and that we hold at his disposal, if he thinks they can be useful
the gun-boats or materials for a raft or any other munitions which the Dockyard may afford'
and which he may thmk necessary for the use cf our squadron, or useful to ouTaC in
further operations on the Arabian Coast. The Commodore's instructions from the Admirals
^trG^alwiZ.^ h0StlIe 0Pmti0nS eSCeI,t Undet a w " t ^ eu intimation of the
furth ^s^s^^^^r found possibl0 or necessary 40 Uncl « rtake
"It may be well to note as our reason for not asking the Commodore to await at Bom.
0 \ tie ,, faov ?™ r - Ge ° era l i" Council, that the summer is I believe the time
of PearMshing, when the evil-disposed among the littoral Arabs are most apt to be trouWe-
some, but our men-of-war cannot, without the most urgent necessitv
operations in tbe Gulf at that season, and, therefore, if it should appe£ to be absolutely
necessary to do anything for the protection of British subjects or property before the wS
weather sets in, there is no time to be lost. F P etore tlie warm
" At Mussendom the Commodore will be able to learn the r.
General in Council by telegram." Wlslies o£ the Governor
108. In a letter written to Government by Commodore Hillyar on reoeiv
in g Captain Pasley's report of the pro.
he remarked on the apparent want ^
not proceeding himself to aid in a service which called for Inrnl i 1 ^
experience such as a Native Agent Non-British agents affiliated with the British Government. could not be well expected to^suinif
this point the Goyernor m Council observed in reply •
" Colonel Pelly was alone, with an Euronean PnlifWl Off?™ * • ,
necessity for his remaining to urge the Maskat authorities to efficient aTtiotT ^ ^ ^
prevented h.m from going up the G«l£ with the In deputbg hi/^ti™ A^ent
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