'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [‎50r] (99/344)

79
Part IV—Chap. XXII.
own judgment on any questions having reference thereto, but you will carefully avoid all
general discussion and invariably refer to all matters of that nature to that judgment and
decisions.
Those appearances with regard to equipments which are becoming to the station
which you hold you will carefully preserve and keep up, and should any presents appear
absolutely necessary, on emergency or in compliance with established usages and forms,
you will conceive yourself at liberty to make them always, however preserving a due regard to
economy and keeping in mind the particular circumstances of our present political situation
in Persia which renders it in my opinion highly necessary to avoid any appearance of extra
ordinary liberality which might wear appearance of a timed concession to the avaricious
demands or arrogant assumptions of the officers of the Persian Government.
As far as it is possible for me to form a judgment upon the probable conduct of the
Persian Ministry, I do not think it at all likely that they will after the departure of the
mission continue to entertain those unwarrantable designs against yourself and the small party
remaining with you, which I had such just reason for supposing to have been in contemplation
against this mission for the escort and Indian attendants attached to it being thus removed,
you will I hope no longer appear to them as fit objects of that jealousy which however ridicu
lous and unfounded certainly existed in a great degree in their minds while the troops and
followers attached to General Malcolm's suite continued still at Bushire.
Should you however have just reason to apprehend any thing of the kind, or should the
conduct of the Persian Government in any way render such a measure in your eyes necessary,
you will without hesitation withdraw the factory An East India Company trading post. and join me at Bussora without delay.
That you may always possess the means of a speedy retreat it will be necessary that a
cruizer should constantly be established at Bushire and I shall concert measures with the
Resident of Bussora for that purpose.
You will constantly keep me advised of all occurrences and give me the earliest intelligence
of every political event that may take place transmitting copies of your reports to me on those
points to the Secretary to Government in the Political Department at Fort William by every
opportunity with such additional information as may in the interval have come to your
knowledge, you will also transmit copies of all your despatches to the Hon'ble the Governor
in Council at Bombay and to Brigadier-General Malcolm.
You will of course be prepared to make over to me the office of Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. and to
place all things on the same footing on which |they were left by General Malcolm, should
circumstances hereafter induce me to return to Bushire at any future period,