تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [ظ‎‎٢‎٤‎٩] (٦٠٢/٥٠٣)

V
12
ADMINISTRATION EE PORT ON THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
Political Agent, after overcoming their primary suspicions, to gain the personal
confidence and friendship of all the chief Shaikhs of Jaalan, and on the other
. hand, in the presence of His Highness the Sultan and his son Sayyid Taimoor at
the same time, and in the community of interests between them and the British
officers present, the tribes had a practical demonstration of the cordial relations
existing between their Ruler and the British Government—thus acquiring
knowledge, which if it does not necessarily increase Sayyid Feisal's personal
popularity among all sections of his subjects, at all events adds to the deference
with which they regard him; perhaps the more desirable sentiment for the
Sultan of Maskat to cultivate, under existing conditions of his rule.
His extended absence at Sur likewise left the Sultan little time for touring
elsewhere, and on the one or two occasioos on which he has made arrange
ments to absent himself from Maskat for a few days, they have been upset
by some unforeseen urgency calling for his presence in the capital. While on
the subject of the Sultan's absences from Maskat, I take the opportunity to
express my appreciation of the cordial and effective assistance and co-operation
always rendered to myself and the Agency Surgeon by Sayyid Mahomed-bin-
Turki, when carrying on the government for his brother on snch occasions.
7. British Indian subjects in Maskat and Oman. —During the year, the
Political Agent made two sea trips to different ports of the Oman littoral, visit
ing the small communities of British Indian traders residing at Sib, Barka
Khabura, Luwa, Kurriyat and Sur.
Unless it happens that the visit is in connection with some particular occur
rence needing investigation, there is little to be done on shore during these
visits; but the mere fact of the Political Agent putting in an appearance occa
sionally, or even the sight from time to time of a British man-of-war in the near
offing, is sufficient to give our small British-Indian fraternities in such isolated
situations a greater measure of respect and security, than they might otherwise
be accorded by their Arab neighbours.
During the year robberies have been committed on the premises of British
subjects at Luwa, Sur and Barka; also one trader was waylaid and looted on his-
way back from the interior, where he had been to recover debts; and one bania
of Mesnaa complained of wrongful confinement and ill-treatment by the Wail of
that port. In all^ these cases the Local Government has shown a commendable
disposition to see justice done.
In the more important case, that of wrongful confinement at Mesnaa, the
Wali was removed for that and other misdemeanours, and his deputy, who'was
immediately responsible for the incident, imprisoned. In the theft cases, the
value of the stolen property having been investigated and assessed by a commit
tee appointed jointly by the Sultan and the Political Agent, compensation to the
amount arrived at has been recovered from the culprits, or disbursed by the Local
Government. A second case of theft at Barka is still under investigation, and a
committee has not yet been formed, but it will shortly be disposed of.
General. # 8. Customs. —It will be remembered that last year the Sultan for the first
time took the Customs Administration under his own control, instead of farming
it out to a contractor, the result being a satisfactory increase of revenue to His
Highness.
This year the revenue assessed on the value of trade, according to figures
furnished by the Customs Superintendent, amounts to some Jfts. 4,000 less than last
year, but this difference is more than accounted for, by the untoward fact that
during the year 2 vessels with valuable cargoes bound for Maskat have never
been heard of a and presumably foundered at sea; one being the clipper sailing-
ship County of Forfa owned by residents in Maskat, and "bound from Calcutta
with cereals, and the second the S.S. Basuto from London, with arms and
ammnnition. There have been occasional complaints from merchants, of incon
siderate treatment at the Customs House by the Sultan's officials, sometimes well
founded, sometimes not; but I have always found His Highness anxious to remove
* causes of complaints when brought to his personal notice, and to meet merchants
half-way as far as lies in his power.
The great desideratum at present is, undoubtedly, the improvement of the Cus
tom house, wharf and premises, which are not a credit to the State, but I am glad
to report that the Local Government has lately started work in this direction, which.