'The Penetration of Arabia a record of the development of Western knowledge concerning the Arabian Peninsula with illustrations from drawings, photographs, and maps by J. G. Bartholomew.' [‎104] (169/496)

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ARABIA
ised, and Ibrahim beg-an to withdraw his columns and
garrisons.
On this matter, however, one contemporary Euro
pean government, never conspicuous for a right un
derstanding of Mehemet Ali's policy, was led into
a total misconception, which proved prejudicial to its
own prestige, but of fortunate issue for geographical
science. The British administrators of India had long
desired to extend their influence in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
and to crush the piracy, which was strangling com
merce and fatally affecting the pearl-fisheries; and to
this end they had been pressing their friendship and
advice ever more insistently on the "Imam" of
Maskat. 1 In the Egyptian pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. they now scented a
new co-operator. His troops had reached the Gulf and
harried the pirates of Ras el-Kheima. What Ibrahim
had conquered with such effort they made sure his
fathei meant to hold. Nejd and Hasa would remain
provinces of Egypt, and the enlightened pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who
in spite of unfriendly action in the matter of the Suez
overland route was obstinately credited by British
optimism with a paramount interest in the promotion
of trade, would see at once that his advantage lay in
the assurance of the Arabian seas.
Without consultation direct or indirect with the
Egyptians, a British ship of war was sent from
Bombay to the Gulf in the summer of 1819, and
upon it went a special emissary, Captain George For-
1 They had even made overtures to the Wahabi Emir. Reinaud was
sent on a mission of conciliation to Deraiye by Manesty, the British Resi
dent in Basra, in 1799, and was apparently successful for the time.