'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎9v] (23/180)

o
PERIOD OF THE RISE AND SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY,
1778-1820.
Commence
ment of
piracy by the
Oawasim,
1778-80.
Qasimi inter
vention in
Bahrain.
1782.
Raid, pos
sibly Oasimi,
on Rustaq in
"Oman. 1783.
Capture
of the
" Bassein."
May 1797.
Attack on
the "Viper,'
October
1797.
General History, 1778-1803.
In the years 1779 and 1780 the whole Gulf was in a state of turmoil owing
to the non -existence of any controlling power; and the contest between the
Oasimi Shaikh and the Imam, resumed after a short interval during which the
Oawasim had addicted themselves to mercantile pursuits, contributing largely to
Che prevailing confusion. The Qasimi fleet, manned by ruffians who depended
on Diracv for their livelihood, scoured the seas plundering all indiscriminately;
and their successful example soon found imitators in every Arab port. Towards
the end of 1778 the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. captured a vessel oelonging to the East India
Company on its way from Bombay to Basrah, and sold the crew and passengers
hs slaves ' and in 1779 they seem to have been in possession ot a ship named the
" Expedition " belonging to the Shaikh of Bushehr, which they declined to restore.
In 1782'the Shaikh of the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. , after mediating unsuccessfully between
the TJtub and the Persian claimants of Bahrain, took part with a contingent of
his subjects in the unsuccessful assault by the Persians on the Atbi stronghold
of Zubarah 18th-century town located 105 km from Doha. " his attitude on this occasion appears to have been determined by
a recent outrage on the part of the 'Utub, who had captured a boat belonging
to his Shaikhdom and put 18 ot the crew to death.
About 1783 Ibn-Rahmah, a Shaikh of the Pirate Coast—as the modern Trucial
'Oman may most appropriately be styled at this time—made a serious attack on
Rustaq, then the capital of the Imam of ;Oman; but the identity of the chief cannot
now be fixed* nor the significance of his raid ascertained. j r
Some years of peace followed, during which nothing was heard oi the
Oawasim; but in 1797 a state of war again prevailed between Masqat and Ras-
al-Khaimah and hostilities had been declared between the Imam of Oman and
the Government of Persia— circumstances which may have conduced 10 the
commission in this year of two remarkable and unprovoked outrages by the
Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. .Je ^ of M 1797j off R ams , a fleet of Qasimi boats attacked and
captured the snow " Bassein though under British colours and carrying public
despatches, and took her to Ras-al-Khaimah, where she was detainee for two
days and then released by order of the Shaikh. No reparation seems to have been
exacted for this insult to the British flag. .
Impunity bore its natural fruit. In the month of October following a fleet
of Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. , commanded by Salih, a nephew of the Qasimi Shaikh, were >ing
in the harbour of Bushehr, their purpose being to intercept some Sun vessels
returning from Basrah, and were granted, on the request of the representative ot
the Indian Government, at Bushehr, a supply of powder and cannon shot trom
the H.E.I. Company's brig "Viper" of 14 guns; haying received it they
treacherously and without warning attacked the Viper at anc w ^ *
crew were at breakfast on deck. The " Viper," with great promptitude slipped
her cable and made sail to escape being boarded; and, in the engagement wnicn
followed, she not only beat off her assailants but succeeded in chasing them out
to sea; her gallant commander. Lieutenant Carruthers, was killed, and among a
crew of 65, all told, there were no less than 32 casualties. Once more the authors
of the outrage were suffered to escape without punishment. The
were apparently satisfied by an assurance received from the Qasimi Sheikn, tna
he had the highest regard for the British nation but exercised no contr ^. 0 i y^
Shaikh Salih, who " had proceeded to the Persian shore and there estabiisnea
" himself among the Bani Khalid Arabs, marrying a woman of that tribe wmc
" was one of a villainous nature and character; " and no exception appears to nave
been taken even to a statement by the Shaikh that the Viper " had been the ti
to fire.
* It may have been Shaikh Saqar of Ras-al-Khaimah, whose great -great-grandfather's name
was Rahmah. , . £ ^ ^ ,r.r.i^nK
t Mr. F. Warden, Member of Council at Bombay, gives another explanation of these inciacius
(see Bombay Records, XXIV, pp. 57 and 302); but his two suggestions, (1) that the Britisn nau
previously failed to observe neutrality in the Gulf and (2) that the conduct of the Qawasirn
from a contest between the Tman Sa'id of 'Oman and his brother Sultan, appear to be equ
unfounded.