'Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part I. Historical and Political Materials. Précis of Nejd Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎22] (30/68)

"There seems 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 chastisetnect 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.
(C A part from any internal 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,
" More however is probably owing to the sensible decay of vigour in the ruler of Maskafc
and to the comparative rarity of any visit from our vessels of war to the old pirate coast of
the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
" But whatever the cause, there can be no doubt of the evil effects of this revival of
Wahabi 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 Coasts. There is every year increased activity in the slave
trade carried on between East Africa and Arabia, chiefly by vessels belonging to the Wahabi
pirate ports, and the aggressions of the Wahabis by land on the territories of the Imam 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.
te I do not think that this is a state of things in which the British Government in India
should be entirely passive. Our interest in the matter is not precisely the same as in 1821,
when the pirates from the Wahabi coast threatened serious injury to the general trade of
Bombay; but we have Treaty ties with the Imam of Maskat, and there can be no doubt that any
considerable increase of Wahabi influence would lead to, at least, an attempt to revive piracy,
and seriously impede the rapidly increasing commerce of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . It might also at
any time interfere with our Telegraphic communication with Europe.
u The important question remains what it behoves the British Government to do under
these circumstances ?
11 It seems quite clear that there is little chance of the Amir paying the slightest atten
tion either to such friendly advice as Colonel Pelly gave him, or to the temperate remonstrances
of Colonel Disbrowe.
" I would not for the present advise any renewal of an attempt on the part of our
Political Agents to open a diplomatic correspondence with the Amir of the Wahabis. He
is from his ignorance of our power not likely to pay the slightest attention to our wishes or
remonstrances, and for the present any attempt to open further communication with him is
only likely to embroil us further.
" I would instruct Colonel Disbrowe to adopt a somewhat different tone to His Highness
the Imam of Maskat; to point out to His Highness clearly, but in temperate and friendly
language, that the aggressions of the Wahabis are not likely to be checked by tame acquies
cence, or by a constantly increasing addition of the tribute His Highness pays to them that
the Government of India will learn with regret, and surprise that its subjects have' been
murdered and plundered in a large town under His Highness' flag without any effectual at
tempt on His Highness' part to punish his own rebellious subjects, or to expel hostile invaders.
" I would point out to His Highness that the occasion is one which imperatively calls
upon him to imitate the example of his illustrious father, to set his finances in order to
conciliate and revive the spirit of his feudatory tribes, to reorganize his military and naval
forces, and to repel by force, if negotiation fail, the insolent aggressions of his Wahabi
neighbours.
" I would not by any means lead him to lean on our aid in accomplishing these obiects
but I would assure him of our intention scrupulously to fulfil our Treaty obligations and of
our desire to give him every reasonable support, not only moral but material, in anv weil-di. ect
ed efforts he may make to re-establish his authority.
■fl- n'T; 0im b - ™ d ? ubt His 1%W power, if properly exerted, is ample to
effect all that is required. I would aid him with munitions, and, if absolutely necLarv
with assistance in money, and with the presence of such ships of Her Majesty's naval forces
mthese Seas as the Commander-in-Chief may think best calculated to be of use in aidine the
Imam to re-establish His Highness' authority in Sur or any other place on the seaboard ,If
which his rebellious subjects or the Wahabi enemy may have deprived him.