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British transport vessels for the Persian Gulf campaign of 1819

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In 1819 the British government of India decided to mount an expedition to Ras Al Khaimah to suppress piracy in the Persian Gulf.

A British memo of 1819 stated:[1]

The piratical enterprises of the Joasmi [Al Qasimi] tribes and other Arab tribes in the Persian Gulf region had become so extensive and attended by so many atrocities on peaceful traders, that the Government of India at last determined that an expedition on a much larger and comprehensive scale than ever done before, should be undertaken for the destruction of the maritime force of these piratical tribes on the Gulf and that a new policy of bringing the tribes under British rule should be inaugurated.

For the expedition the government engaged a number of merchant vessels to transport troops and ordnance stores.[2]

Name Burthen (bm) When and where built Notes
Angelica 300 1808† / 1818‡; Demaun Later sold to the Portuguese‡
Ann See ship article
Bombay Castle 571‡ / 580† 1815† / 1816‡; Cochin Still sailing out of Bombay in 1838‡
Carron 451† / 484‡ 1817; Cochin Sailing out of Bombay in 1838‡
Conde de Rio Pardo 430 1816;† Demaun Sailing out of Bombay in 1823 under the name King George the Fourth
Cornwall See ship article
Diana 500† 1818†; Cochin† Wrecked June 1820 off the coast of Muscat
Ernaad 550[3] / 557[4] / 594[5] Bombay 1813[3] / Demaun 1814[5] Timber ship built for the British East India Company (EIC), sold at public auction and sailing out of Calcutta in 1839.[3]
Faiz Remaun
Francis Warden 410† / 419‡ 1810† Beypoor / 1803‡ Beypour Launched as Duncan; sailing out of Bombay in 1837‡
Glenelg 810† / 867‡ 1817 Cochin Sailing out of Bombay 1838‡
Hannah See ship article
Jemima 460‡ 1817‡ Chittagong Later called Mahomed Shah; foundered at the Sand Heads September 1822‡
Jessy 338 1814‡ Cochin
Orient See ship article
Orpheus See ship article
Pascoa See ship article
Upton Castle 596 1818 Cochin Still sailing out of Bombay 1839

†:Register; ‡: Phipps; no mark when both agree

Following the surrender of Ras Al Khaimah and Dhayah Fort, the British expeditionary force then blew up the buildings comprising the town of Ras Al Khaimah and established a garrison there of 800 sepoys and artillery, before visiting Jazirat Al Hamra, which was found to be deserted. They went on to destroy the fortifications and larger vessels of Umm Al Qawain, Ajman, Fasht, Sharjah, Abu Hail, and Dubai. Ten vessels that had taken shelter in Bahrain were also destroyed.[6] The Royal Navy suffered no casualties during the action.[7]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ "'Précis of correspondence regarding the affairs of the Persian Gulf, 1801-1853' [57r] (113/344)". qdl.qa. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2015. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Low (1877), p. 353, fn.
  3. ^ a b c Phipps (1840), p. 165.
  4. ^ Wadia (1986), p. 339.
  5. ^ a b Phipps (1840), p. 147.
  6. ^ Lorimer (1915), p. 669.
  7. ^ United service magazine Part 1, pp. 711–15.

References

[edit]
  • East-India register and directory (1819)
  • Lorimer, John (1915). Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. British Government, Bombay.
  • Low, Charles Rathbone (1877). History of the Indian Navy: (1613-1863). R. Bentley and son.
  • Phipps, John (1840). A Collection of Papers Relative to Ship Building in India ...: Also a Register Comprehending All the Ships ... Built in India to the Present Time ... Scott.
  • Wadia, R. A. (1986) [1957]. The Bombay Dockyard and the Wadia Master Builders. Bombay.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)