Letter in Arabic, with an English translation on the verso, of a letter from Faysul ibn Torky Al Saood [Faisal ibn Turki Al Sa-ud] sent 2 Ramathan [Ramadhan] 1281 (29 or 30 January 1865) and received by Lewis Pelly 7 February 1865 informing Pelly that he may come on to Riyadh from 'the Sirkar' and that he will be treated with hospitality along the way.The Arabic letter contains an ink seal, most likely belonging to Amir Faisal.A draft copy of the translation to the letter, with corrections, is given on folio eight. This letter is a reply to the letter at folio two.2 foliosThe paper contains a watermark.
The letter is conveying the Resident's gratitude for a packet Jaffer Ali Khan [Ja‘afar ‘Alī Khān] has sent him and commends him on his conduct. It also authorises him to reward the source of the acquisition and discusses the jealousy the recipient is experiencing from his fellow citizens. Furthermore, the Resident advises that intercepting French communications to Europe from Persia is probably less risky and more useful than the reverse. Recent gifts to Ḥusayn ‘Alī Mirzā, the Prince at Shiraz are also discussed.It includes a couple of Arabic words within the body of the English text.2 folios
Letter in Arabic, with English translation, sent 28 Ramadan 1281 (25 February 1865) and received at the Bushire Residency 20 Mar 1865.Letter reporting that the Chief of Jaalan [Ja'alan] had paid a visit to Ameer Fysul [Amir Faisal bin Turki al Saud] and that he had returned accompanied by a Wahabee [Wahhabi] Moollah [Mullah]. The letter also informs Pelly that Ameer Fysul had instructed his deputy at Brynee [al-Buraimi] to send his brother Abdul-Aziz al Saud to Jaalan as Amir and that they were now awaiting the arrival of a third brother, Majid from Lahsah [Al-Hasa] before departing.The letter also reports on the general opinion along the Oman coast that recent disturbances have been owing to the extending Wahabee influence and that although the English destruction of Rasal Khyma [Ra's al Khaimah] in 1820 had kept affairs quiet for a time in recent years the Wahabees had been increasing their influence unchecked.2 foliosThe Arabic letter has been written on the verso of folio 7 and the recto of folio 8, with the english translation appearing on the verso of folio 8.Seal: The ink seal of Haji Yaq'ub (native agent at Sharjah) has been stamped onto the recto of folio 7.
Letter, in Arabic and English, informing Pelly that the bearer of the letter, Abdool Assis Ben Assass [Abdul Aziz bin Aziz], will be his guide into the interior of Nejd if Pelly is still willing to employ him.1 folio
This file contains correspondence to/from three British Residents at Bushire, Captain James Felix Jones, Captain Herbert Frederick Disbrowe and Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Pelly.A number of topics are discussed in the file, most prominent among them are the following:Relations between Britain and Bahrain;A blockade of Kutiffe (Al-Qatif);Military action taken by Bahrain against the Chief of Wukra;The mis-treatment of Indian British subjects in Bahrain.On folios 2-6, the file contains copies in English and Arabic of the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship (1861) signed by Sheikh Mahomed ben Khalifeh [Shaikh Muḥammed bin Khalīfah Āl Khalīfah] on behalf of himself and his successors and Captain James Felix Jones on behalf of the British Government.On folios 136-140, the file contains a translation of an agreement proposed by Houssein Ali Mirza, the Prince Regent of Fars in 1822, that Lieutenant William Bruce is said to have agreed to without permission of the British Government.1 volume (183 folios)Foliation: The file's foliation sequence is written in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto of each folio. It begins on the title page, on number 1, and ends on the last folio before the back cover, on number 183. Foliation errors: f 101 is followed by f 101A; f 107 is followed by f 107A; f 111 is followed by f 111A; f 115 is followed by f 115A.
The volume contains a collection of biographies of 'noteworthy persons' within the political jurisdiction of the Residency in the Persian Gulf. There is some limited correspondence related to the collection of this information, which includes applications made by Edward Charles Ross, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, to the following:Samuel Barrett Miles, Political Agent and Consul at Muscat.L Gabler, Deputy Director of the Persian Gulf Telegraphs/in Political Charge of the Gwadur [Gwādar] Agency.The Residency Agent, Bahrain.The majority of the biographies have been submitted via standardised forms with entries for the following; name, father, wife, tribe, residence, and children. Each entry has a biographical history for each subject, while some have both an entry in Arabic, and an entry in English (i.e. a translation). At the back of the volume is a single entry in Persian. The returns for Oman — supplied by the Political Agent and Consul at Muscat — do not follow this format, and are instead supplied as manuscript biographical histories.The entries are arranged into sections. The first section is not labelled, but may represent the returns from Gwadur. The remaining biographies fall under the following sections:Unlabelled section.Office Copies - Busrah [Basra].Office Copies - Bahrein [Bahrain].Office Copies - Coast of Fars.Office Copies sent to the Foreign Office.For Office Record.It is noted that the biographical information from the Deputy Director of Persian Gulf Telegraphs (i.e. Gwadur) was compiled by Mr McDonall.1 volume (430 folios)The biographies are arranged by the region they were returned from, while other copies are arranged by their intended destination/use. These sections are ordered as follows:Unlabelled section.Office Copies - Busrah [Basra].Office Copies - Bahrein [Bahrain].Office Copies - Coast of Fars.Office Copies sent to the Foreign Office.For Office Record.The very first section is not labelled, but possibly represents the returns from Gwadur [Gwādar].Correspondence related to the collection of this information is interspersed throughout the file, though it is primarily located at the front and back of the volume.Condition: A large number of folios have suffered from minor pest and water damage. As a result, some of the folios are very fragile, and some of the text has also been obscured, which can result in difficulties interpreting affected text.Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover and terminates at the back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, and can be found in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.The volume contains the following foliation corrections; f 69, and f 69A; f 71, and f 71A.
The volume contains correspondence relating to the perceived threat of attack on Oman by Ibn Rashid [Muḥammad bin ‘Abdullah Āl Rashīd]. The principal correspondents are: Edward Charles Ross, Political Resident in the Persian Gulf, at Bushire; Abul Kasim [Ḥajj Abu'l-Qāsim], Residency Agent at Sharjah; Aḥmad bin ‘Abd al-Rasūl, Residency Agent at Bahrain; various officials at the India Office, Foreign Office, and the Government of India; Henry Drummond Wolff, British Minister at Tehran; officials at the Political Agency in Muscat; Faysal bin Toorki [Fayṣal bin Turkī, al-Sayyid], Sultan of Muscat; William Tweedie, the Political Agent for Turkish Arabia, at Baghdad; and William White, British Ambassador at Constantinople.The volume largely consists of intelligence reports (both the originals in Arabic and the English translations) sent by the Residency Agents at Bahrain and Sharjah to Edward Ross at Bushire, which were subsequently shared and discussed with other departments. The volume is divided into four sections under a subject heading, as follows:'Reports of Turkish Naval Reinforcement, etc. in connection with the threatened invasion of Oman by Ibn Rashid, June 1888';'Threatened invasion of Oman by Ibn Rashid - Proceedings of Shaikh Jasim';'Turkish Relations with Shammar Arabs of Mesopotamia';'Genealogy of Mohammed ibn Rashid'.Topics covered by the volume include:The build-up of Turkish military presence in the Gulf;The rivalry between Shaikh Saeed bin Khaleefah [Zāyid bin Khalīfa Āl Nahyān], ruler of Aboothabee [Abu Dhabi], and Jasim bin Mahomed Thani [Jāsim bin Muḥammad Āl Thāni], ruler of El Bidaa (modern Doha);Jasim's attempts to gather support amongst the Arab tribes of the Trucial Coast for Ibn Rashid's planned attack against Oman;Biographical information on Ibn Rashid and his family, as well as assessments of the support he enjoys in the region;British concern over the matter, and warnings given by them to the Turkish authorities of the consequences should the attack against Oman be made;A Turkish military expedition against sections of the Shammar (tribe) residing in Mesopotamia.1 volume (244 folios)The volume is divided into four sections, each covering a different subject. Within these sections the correspondence is arranged chronologically.Foliation: the sequence commences at the cover and terminates at the final folio; these numbers are written in pencil and can be found in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Foliation errors: 1, 1A and 1B; 122 and 122A; 165 and 165A; 170, 170A and 170B; 214 and 214A.