"ملخص لمراسلات تتعلق بشؤون الخليج الفارسي، ١٨٠١-١٨٥٣" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٦] (٣٤٤/٢١٢)

192
Part VI—Chap. XLIII.
CHAPTER XIIII
THE MARITIME TRUCE AIVD RESTRICTION OF THE SPHERE
OF MARITIME WAR, 1835-1845.
(i) The Maritime Truce of 1835.
337. The years 1834-35 were marked by unusual disturbances among the
Arab tribes in the Gulf and a far greater than the average amount of piracies
was the consequence of this general state of disturbance. In every instance how
ever means of repression were promptly resorted to and ample reparation exacted.
338. The most signal instance both of the offence and of the punishment
was that of the Beniyas Arabs, the subjects of Khalifa bin Shakhbat, Chief
of Abuthabi, who under their previous Chief, Tahnun bin Shakhbat, had been
distinguished for their peaceable conduct and observance of treaties, but who
soon after his murder either from the inability or disinclination of the new
Chief to restrain them, broke out into open and avowed piracy not respectino-
e ven the British flag, or the property of British subjects.
'6S9. The promptitude and energy with which Captain Hennell, the
Assistant, in charge of the Residency, made the necessary demonstrations of an
intention to blockade the port of Abuthabi produced the required atonement
without actual recourse to any hostilities, except those which passed between
the Company's sloop of war JElphinstone and the piratical fleet, in which the
latter, though none of their ships were taken or sunk, received what they appear
to have felt as a severe lesson. As a summary," says Captain Hennell,* *' of
tlie reparation afforded by the Beniyas, it may be stated that one brig, seven
•Letter to Mr. Secretary Macnaghten, dated buglas, two batils, five bugarahs, and
.J 1 * y . , 5 ' t , , . , the greater part of the goods on board
the Danah Dowlut have been recovered, together with upwards of ten thousand
German crowns in cash and property, besides an engagement for sixteen
hundred more on the termination of the pearl fishery towards the liquidation
ot the claims for the cargoes of the vessels destroyed and plundered. In
addition to these all the prisoners have been given up—the persons of the two
pirates who headed the outrages upon the British flag surrendered—and the
three principal vessels of the Beniyas concerned in the late piracies put into
our possession as pledges for the settlement of the balance due on account of
When to these items the punishment inflicted upon
Sheikh Kallifa's fleet by the Hon'ble Company's ship JElphinstone, the
seizure in Maskat of an Abuthabi batil with a valuable cargo as a
compensation for the plunder of a bugla belonging to that port, and finally
the engagements offered by Sheikh Shackbut for the gradual liquidation of
the value of the deficient cargo of the Dariah Dowlut are added, I venture to
hope that the Right Hon'ble the Governor-General of India in Council
will consider that sufficient reparation has been made by the offending* tribe,
and that ellectual measures have been taken for the complete suppression of
the lawless and piratical spirit lately manifested."
340. Of the two pirates mentioned in the foregoing extract, one was tried,
convicted and sentenced to death in the Supreme Court of Bombay, but the
sentence was subsequently commuted to one of transportation for life by the
King in Council. The other pirate could not in the opinion of the law officers
be tried in the Supreme Court with any prospect of success, but as there was
no doubt of his guilt, he was delivered to Sultan bin Saggar, the Chief of Shargah,
jrho from the particular circumstances of the offence was considered to have
jurisdiction in the case with a recommendation that he should be punished.
341. In his letter dated 26th May 1835, the Resident reported that having
brought the discussions with the Beniyas iribe regarding their late nefarious
proceedings to a favourable termination, he conceived that the chances of the