'Persian Gulf Gazetteer. Part I. Historical and Political Materials. Précis of Nejd Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎28] (36/68)

"These operations appear, with 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.
"While lamenting the loss of the brave men who were killed at Demaum, I would express
our sincere admiration of the gallantry displayed by Lieutenant Long and the whole party
engaged, and particularly of those who are lumed 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
the expiration of the term fixed by Colonel Pelly 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 Khatiff, 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 WahaLis 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
current 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
General m Council as contained in Mr. Secretary Muir's letter of the S^th January last
No. 66, which express the opinion of the ^ iceroy 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 \^ahabis and Surees by the Highflyer in destroying their towers and
war-buggalows will apparently at least equal the value of what our subjects were supposed to
. <f 1 ^ ould 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
soon 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 think necessary for the use of our squadron, or useful to our allies in
further operations on the Arabian Coast. The Commodore's instructions from the Admiraltv
preclude his undertaking any hostile operations except under a written intimation of the
Governor General s wishes.
t it.' ^ ^ •' :i0 ' w ' ever ' anticipate that it will be found possible or necessary to undertake
further operations on the Pirate Coast this season. ertaKe
. <f It may be well to note as our reason for not asking the Commodore to await at Bom-
b ?V, c r f? ly Governor-General in Council, that the summer is I believe the time
of Pearl-fishing, when the evil-disposed among the littoral Arabs are most apt to be trouble-
some, but our men-of-war cannot, without the most urgent necessity, undertake active
operations in the Gulf at that season, and, therefore, if it should appear to be absolutely
necessary to do anything for the protection of British subjects or property, before the warm
weather sets in, there is no time to be lost. r r c
" At Mussendom the Commodore will be able to learn the wishes nf n
General in Council by telegram." 0f the GOTC ™ Qr
108. In a letter written to Government by Commodore Hillvar on reoeiv-
Letter from Commodore Hillyar, with accom- ing Captain Paslev's rp-nnrf +T
paniments, dated the 20th February 1866. ^ • 1 £ ^ ^ report Ot the pro™
i i i , ceedings of the Mighiiyer in the ftnlf
he remarked on the apparent want of consideration shewn by the Eesfdent n
not proeeeding himself to atd m a seryiee which called for local knowledge and
*
necessity for his remaining to nrgelhe ML^Srife 'toa^iot^had^' ""d
ptevented him from gomg up the Gulf with the B. g kfy e r. In deputing his N^tiv# Agent