'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Nejd [Najd] Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎30] (43/72)

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« Written by my hand at Bushire on Saturday the 5th day of Zilhajjeh 1882—21st day
of April 1866,^
114. Tlie terms of this declaration were telegraphed to the Bombay Gov
ernment* by Colonel Pelly for approval, and on being cotMnuoicated to the
Foreign Office at Simla, the Government of India replied that they '' agreed to
Colonel Pelly coming to a friendly arrangement with the ahabi Eepresen-
tative, provided that any payment from the Maskat Government shall be as
arranged between that Government and the W ahabi, and not guarantetd y
the British Government. " Colonel Pelly' it was added can give his good
offices in arranging fhe details of an agreement between the two parties subject
to the above condition, but no Treaty between the British Government and the
Wahabi Chief can be made without our seeing the full details, and without
the sanction of the Home Government." Before this reply reached Colonel
Pelly he again telegraphed :—" I am, I think, enabled to state that Govern
ment can dictate any consistent demands and relative positions they like, and
that they will be accepted by both the Arab states, but it is on all accounts
desirable that I should be favoured with definite instructions, as early as may
be convenient." In answer to this intimation the Government of India
referred to their previous reply, adding that " no definite instructions could be
given, and that Colonel Pelly conld make suggestions after consultation with
the Wahabi Agent as he may think fit, which the Government of India will
duly consider oti hearing the opinion of the Bombay Government on the
subject."
115. On receipt of these instructions Colonel Pelly had another interview
with the Wah^bi Envoy who signified that heacceded in all respects to
the wishes of Her Majesty's Government, and that if any difficulties should
arise as to the tribute payment from Maskat, the Amir would solicit the good
offices of the Resident." Colonel Pelly then handed to him a letter to the
address of the AYahabi Chief, of which the following is a copy :—
"I have received your Highness^ friendly letter by the hand of your confidential servant
Mahomed bin Abdullah bin Mana and suite.
" You state that your desire is for peace, and your Envoy has handed to me a paper, copy 4
of which I enclose, and which has been approved by Her Majesty's Government.
" If difficulties should hereafter arise as to the payment to be made to you by Maskat,
the English Government do not wish to interfere or become guarantee in a matter which
concerns you and the Sultan. But the English Government would not object to my using
my good offices in arranging the details of an agreement, and your Envoy informs me that
in the contingency of such question arising, you will write and request my good offices.
" Tn one of your previous letters you refer to the question of religion. The religion of
the Wahabis lies between themselves," their Imam and their God, and the English Govern
ment have no wish to interfere therein.
" I hope this may find you in health, and if you have any difficulty send me a confiden
tial Agent, and I shall always be happy to meet him on Iriendly terms as 1 have Mahomed
bin Abdullah bin Mana."
116. In reporting: to Government the result of his final interview with
the Wahabi Envoy, Colonel Pelly wrote :-r-
"•I asked the Wahabi Envoys what the Amir meant by stating in his letters that
ascrpements had existed of old between his Gov-
Political A. W 1866. Nos. 64-65. ernment and the British. The Envoys replied
that the Wahabi Amirs had, from time to time, received friendly letters from the British
authorities, and that the Wahabi Government considers a friendly letter to be synunymous
with a Treaty agreement/'
" Before leaving, the Wahabi Envoys explained to me that the present Wahabi Amir
had manv enemies, aud difficulties to contend with, and trusted that I would not credit reports
that might be made to his prejudice. I replied, that I was well aware of the critical position
of the Wahabi Government, and knew that* it had powerful enemies, as well at home as
on its frontier, and these difficulties appeared to me as supplying additional reasons for the
Wahabi Government remaining peaceably within its own territories and consolidating itself.
For the rest, if the Wahabi Amir desired any furthnr communication, he could forward it in
writing, when it would be duly transmitted by me to higher authority."
117. The Government of India expressed the following views on Colonel
T « Pelly's report in their letter No. 602,
Political A., June 1866, No. 66. j i. J i -iiu t tann j. i.1, tj i
dated 11th June 1866, to the Bombay
Government:—