In 1831 the East Indies and China Station was created and the now Vice-Admiral Sir John Gore was appointed as its first commander-in-chief. For his flag-captain he again chose Hart who took command of Gore's flagship, the ship of the line HMS Melville, on 30 September.Phillips, Melville (74) (1817). Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 22 July 2021. In 1833 the vice-admiral gave Hart temporary command of the frigate HMS Imogene to sail to Zanzibar to speak with the Imaum of Muscat, Said bin Sultan, about the United States' monopoly on trade with that country and the possibility of British trade links being created. Arriving in early 1834, his negotiations were successful and upon his departure from Zanzibar he was given the ex-East Indiaman Liverpool, which had been converted into a ship of the line, as a gift for William IV.Phillips, Imaum (74) (1826). Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 22 July 2021.MacKirdy, 'The Fear of American Intervention', p. 134 As well as this Hart was personally gifted an arabian horse which was put on board Liverpool. He escorted the ship to Bombay from where she was sailed home to become HMS Imaum. After returning from Zanzibar he wrote a report on his negotiations that reassured the British establishment, with the imaum's political allegiance to Britain still strong and his relationship with America purely commercial.MacKirdy, 'The Fear of American Intervention', pp. 134–135
