Letter no.234 of 1852, from Captain Arnold Kemball, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to Arthur Malet, Chief Secretary of the Government Bombay

Content

Kemball reports on slave trading activities on both the Arab and Persian coasts of the Gulf. A table (f 265) lists the numbers of slaves imported into Rusul Khymah [Ra's al-Khaymah] from Zanzibar (435), as supplied by the British agent at Sharjah. Kemball writes that he suspects this figure is a small proportion of the actual numbers of slaves imported during the season, and describes the difficulties of enforcing the Maritime Truce. Kemball includes two enclosures with his letter:

1) Letter no.220 (ff 269-71) sent by Kemball to Colonel Justin Sheil, Her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary A diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador. The term can be shortened to 'envoy'. at the Court of Persia, dated 13 July 1852. Kemball informs Sheil that the British Agent at Lingah [Bandar-e Lengeh] has reported of slaves being brought to that port and the surrounding coast from Africa. Kemball encloses two translated extracts of reports he has received from Ahmed, the Agent at Bandar-e Lengeh, dated 19 June 1852 and 16 June 1863 respectively;

2) Copy of a letter from Lieutenant James Tronson, Commanding Officer of the Brigantine Tigris , to Commodore George Robinson, Commanding Officer Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Squadron, dated 10 July 1852. Tronson reports that he arrived on the Batinah coast on the 24 May, and proceeded to Soor [Sur] where he encountered only one small fishing boat. Tronson continues that he proceeded to the position where the merchant ship Centaur grounded on 18 May, but that he saw nothing left of the wreck. Tronson reports that he found no boats carrying slaves, concluding that he had reached the Batinah coast after the season when boats arrive back from Africa.

Extent and format

9 folios

It is part of

'Vol 178 1852/53 Bahrain; Arabian Coast; Slave Trade; Muscat'

686 images

Ref: IOR/R/15/1/130

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Letter

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/1/130, ff 265-73

History of this record

Date(s)

27 Jul 1852 (CE, Gregorian)

Share this record

• Share on twitter
• Share on facebook

Cite this record in your research

Letter no.234 of 1852, from Captain Arnold Kemball, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to Arthur Malet, Chief Secretary of the Government Bombay, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/130, ff 265-73, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100024051547.0x000063> [accessed 14 May 2024]

Link to this record

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100024051547.0x000063

IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000067/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Copyright: How to use this content