"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٢‎١‎٤] (١٧٨٢/٣٥٧)

214
Absorption of
the Masqat
Resideocy
into tiiat of
BCshehr, and
of the
Baghdad
Kesidency
Jnto tliat of
Basrah.
'J'be question of a reduction of the British political establishments
in the Gulf came under consideration in 1809-10 in consequence of
the cessation of danger from France ; and it was resolved by the Govern
ment of India that their political representation in the Gulf region
should ultimately, if it were found possible, be concentrated in one
Residency ; but the desired reduction was obviously too considerable,
notwithstanding the supposed extirpation of piracy by the late expedition
against the Qawasim, to be effected all at once. In January 1810
General Malcolm, then starting on his third mission to Persia, recom
mended that the Residency at Masqat should be abolished, the representa
tion of British interest in the 'Oman Sultanate and on the Arab coast
generally being entrusted thereafter to the Resident at Bushehr, who
should be furnished with such assistance as would enable him to under
take the work thus imposed on him in addition to his former duties.
The suggestion seems to have been accepted at once by the Government
of India; and Mr. Hankey Smith, Resident at Bushehr, who accom
panied General Malcolm on the voyage from Bombay to the Gulf, was
ordered to take Masqat under his charge and was provided with two
Assistants, Messrs. Babington and Williams of the Civil Service, in
addition to his existing Assistant (Lieutenant Bruce) at Bushehr; but he
was not employed, as had been proposed by General Malcolm, to nego
tiate with the Arab tribes on the conclusion of the anti-piratical expedi
tion then in progress, the reason, however, probably being that the
necessity for a regular settlement with the tribes was not as yet properly
appreciated. On the 1st May 1810 Mr. H, Smith informed the Govern
ment of Bombay that " the pernicious effect of the climate of Maskat
obliged him to resign all further charge of the duties of that station,^ at
which it may perhaps be inferred—he had b^en instructed to reside;
but Government, in permitting him to relinquish it, directed his Assist
ants Messrs. Babington and Williams to remain at Bushehr, and exhor
ted them to qualify themselves..." for future employment in the Gulph by
acquiring a thorough and practical knowledge both of Persian and
-n-iaoic, Meanwhile search was to be made for a station more healthy
than Masqat from which the affairs of ^Oman might be supervised. The
hoiror in which Masqat was held at this time by the East India Com
pany s servants is not difficult to understand if it is remembered that the
cbmatf had already proved fatal to all the four Residents who had held
office there since the foundation of the Residency in 1800. On Mr. H.
Smiths withdrawal to Bushehr, where he remained as Resident for
'it a yeai longei, British concerns in 'Oman were probably left to the
care of a Native Agent, as formerly.