'Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol I. Historical. Part II. J G Lorimer. 1915' [‎2639] (1156/1262)

preserved it. We are not now going to throw away this century of costly and trium
phant enterprise; we shall not wipe out the most unselfish page in history. The
peace of these waters must still be maintained ; your independenae will continue to be
upheld ; and the influence of the British Government must remain supreme.
There is one respect' in which the Chiefs themselves can avert any renewal of
trouble in the future. The British Government have no desire to interfere, and have
never interfered, in your internal affairs, provided that the Chiefs govern their
territories with justice, and respect the rights of the foreign traders residing therein.
If any internal disputes occuv, you will always find a friend in the British Resident,
who will use his influence, as he has frequently done in the past, to prevent these dis*
sensions from coming to a head, and to maintain the status quo, for we could not
approve of one independent Chief attacking another Chief by land, simply because he
was not permitted to do it by sea, and thus evading the spirit of his treaty obliga
tions. I will mention a case that seems to lend itself to friendly settlement of the
character that I have described. You are all of you aware that the strip of coast
known as the Batinah* Coast on the'opposite side of the 'Oman Peninsula, is under
the authority of the Chief of the Jowasmis. Nevertheless his authority is contested
in some quarters. It is desirable that these disputes should cease, and that the peace
should remain undisturbed.
Chiefs, these are the relations that subsist between the British Government and
yourselves. The Sovereign of the British Empire lives so far away that none of you
has ever seen or will ever see his face ; but his orders are carried out everywhere
throughout his vast dominions by the officers of his Government, and it is as bis
representative in India, who is responsible to him for your welfare, that I am here
to-day to exchange greetings with you, to renew old assurances, and to wish you
prosperity in the future.
An Arabic translation o£ this address having been read by Mr. Gaskin,
Assistant Political Officer in Bahrain, handsome gifts were distributed;
each Shaikh attending in person received a sword from the Viceroy's
hands, besides which a gold watch and chain and a sporting rifle were
given^ to every Shaikh, and a rifle to every Shaikh's son. As the month
of Ramadhan had now begun, no refreshments were served. JDhe Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
was then closed, and the Viceroy, the Naval Commander-in-Chief and the
Shaikhs in succession took their departure from the " Argonaut each
receiving the guns due to his rank as he cjuitted the ship.
In the evening the squadron with tire Viceroy left Sharjah for
Bandar 'Abbas,
The visit to Bandar 'Abbas, Hormuz and Qishm, 22nd November.
I 1]
. i ' ^'
The anchorage off Bandar
morning of the 22nd November
) Abbas was reached at 8 A.M, on the
; Sir A. Hardinge had arrived in H.M.S,
u Sphinx " on the previous day; and the Persian gunboat " Persepolis
which had brought the Salar-i-Mu'azzam, Governor of the Gulf Ports
to receive Lord Ourzon on behalf of His Majesty the Shah, was with
the "Sphinx " lying a t anchor off the town. A salute of 31 guns was
fired hv the Persepolis" in honour of the Viceroy's arrival, and a
deputation was sent by the Governor in the « Persepolis" to enquire
what time would be convenient for his visit; m consequence of a mistake,
this deputation at first proceeded to the Argonaut instead of the
Arrival at
Bandar
'Abbas.
Bead <c Shamailiyah."
n 11 l2;