"تقارير إدارية ١٩٢٠-١٩٢٤" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٦] (٤١٢/٢٣٧)

46
ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE
CHAPTER VII.
Administration Report, Muscat Agency, 1922.
His Highness the Sultan, Saiyid Taimnr was absent in India at the close
of 1921 and some doubts were entertained of his returning to Muscat. These
doubts proved to be groundless. The delay in His Highness' return was due
to his wife's ill-health. His Highness returned to Muscat on 9th March and
remained till 15th May. He returned to Muscat again on 14th December with
the intention of staying three months. During his stay at Muscat he evinced
interest in the affairs of his state and gave directions to his Ministers on
various points for the improvement of the administration.
Saiyid Said, the eldest son of the Sultan, joined the Mayo College in
January and is enjoying his life there and doing well at his work.
The Council of Ministers remains unchanged fin personnel and has con
tinued to function much as before. It is much handicapped by the fact that
two of its members are the head-quarter judges of religious and civil cases
respectively. Both for their sakes and for the sake of the people generally
the appointment of other judges is necessary but cannot be carried out
immediately for lack of funds. The delay in obtaining justice, due in part to
the lack of judges and in part to the pressure on the time of the existing
judges of the claims of British subjects and proteges, is the chief evil of
the administration at head-quarters.
The Government of Sohar and its Customs were brought under the
Central Government in the beginning of April, but the control of the central
government was extremely ineffective up to the close of the year. Saiyid
Hamad, the Governor, has no intention of submitting to control more than
can be helped. Both the Sultan and the Council of Ministers^ shirk tackling
him. He is a clever man with progressive ideas on some subjects but is an
oppressive ruler.
The relations between the Muscat Government and the Omanis have been
good on the whole. At the beginning of the year there was trouble over the
Bani Battash tribe. This was mentioned in last year's report. ^ Correspon
dence about it continued between the Political Agent and Shaikh Isa bin
Salih for several months, It was finally ended by a threat to re-impose penal
zakat.
Of the tribes under the Sultan's jurisdiction two, the Bani Bu Ali and the
Yal Saad, brought themselves to notice by rebellious conduct. The trouble
with the Bani Bu Ali has not so far been serious and seems to be dying out.
The paramount shaikhs got a false idea of their importance, gave some trouble
about the Customs at Sur and laid claim to independence. The insubordina
tion of the Yal Saad was much more serious. In January they prevented the
establishment of a customs post at Khadra and burnt one which had been
established at Wadam. Peaceful efforts to bring them to reason failed and
the Muscat Government rapidly lost all authority in their country. The
Muscat Government appealed to the Government of India for naval assistance.
This was sanctioned and after full warning action was taken against the Yal
Saad in October. The forts of the Muscat Government at Masna'ah and
Luwaiq were garrisoned by detachments of the Muscat Levy Corps and a repre-'
sentative of the Muscat Government conducted negotiations from Luwaiq. In
spite of three bombardments of Khadra and the seizure of several dhows, the
Yal Saad refused to submit until the assembly of three ships and a threat of
heavy bombardment on land convinced them that further resistance ^ was
inadvisable. A fine was levied from them and Customs posts were established
at Khadra and Wudam. The indications are that a satisfactory and lasting
settlement has been reached, and is hoped that the slave trade in kxd-s