It was now decided to deal with another Persian force which had assembled at a fort called Mohamerrah south of Basra. Outram intended to leave Major General Stalker in command of troops at Bushehr and himself leave for Mohamerrah. Major General Stalker committed suicide on 14 Marc 1857. It was theorized that Stalker had suffered serious losses earlier in Bombay races in 1856 and was facing a severe financial crisis. Another theory was that Stalker was depressed for having been superseded by Outram. Yet another theory advanced by Colonel Jacob was that Stalker was a morally irresolute and a coward and "on 15th March: General Stalker shot himself during the night in dread of the responsibility of being left to command at Bushire during the absence of Sir James Outram. " Stalkers suicide was followed by a more inexplicable suicide of a fine naval officer Commodore Richard Ethersey squadron commander of Persian gulf squadron .In this case the reason ascribed was naval fatigue as result of excessively long service on the sea.